Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n
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A63260
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The pastor's care and dignity, and the people's duty a sermon preach'd at the assembly of ministers at Taunton, 7th September, 1692 / by G.T.
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Trosse, George, 1631-1713.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing T2304; ESTC R23764
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21,711
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65
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learned Philosophers in the World and from the very natural Man who cannot discern them as they are in themselves and according to their own spiritual Nature Division 1. We have here the Function and Office of Ministers Service and Stewardship or what they are Servants and Stewards 2. The subject Matter of their Stewardship or the Things whereof they are Stewards The Mysteries of God 3. The Duty of the People They must account them so carry it towards them as such Their Office shall be the Doctrine and the People's Duty part of the Use Doct. 1. That Ministers are Christ's Stewards Tit. 1.7 A Bishop a Minister must be blameless as the Steward of God 1 Cor. 9.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. A dispensation a Stewardship the same word as in the Text of the gospel is committed unto me Col. 1.25 So 2. According to the Dispensation or Stewardship which is given to me for you the Scripture expresly tells us that Ministers are Stewards and that their Function and Office is a Stewardship Which Stewardship is no ordinary and common Stewardship but the most excellent and glorious the most necessary and useful and the most profitable and advantageous of all other Which will appear if we consider 1. Whose Stewards they are the Lord Christ's and God's so expresly said to be in the Text. And St. Paul tells us that his Stewardship was committed to him Cor. 9.7 viz. by the Lord Jesus And they are usually called in Scripture the Servants of Christ Embassadors of God and of Christ c. now according to the Excellency and Degree of the Lord and Master so is the Excellency and Worth of the Stewardship Thus a Steward of the King's Houshold is a far more honourable Person and his Office of greater Dignity then any others wherefore the Ministerial Stewardship must be incomparable more Noble in this sence then any others 2. Over whom or toward whom they are Stewards God's House his Church the whole Houshold authoritatively over the whole Church I mean so in a safe and well expounded sence that is being once duely ordain'd and authoriz'd Stewards they may exercise it toward or over any Society of Men either without or within the Pale of the Church without in any place of the World among Heathens or Mahometans where Providence may have cast them they have Authority to gather a Church from among them and if they have Ability and Opportunity they must endeavour it and being gather'd they ought to exert the Office of God's Steward over them Within the Pale of the Church among what Society of Christians soever God may bring or place them or by what Communion of Christians soever they may be called they have there the Authority of Stewards and if due Conveniency present they ought to exert it also For when a Minister for the greater Glory of God and Profit of the Church may be called from one Society of Christians to another that Call collates no new Authority on him but gives him an Occasion and Opportunity to exert it over themselves Where-ever a Minister comes among Christians all other things duely concurring he hath Authority to exert his Ministerial Stewardship over them so 't is said 1. A Servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his Houshold Matth. 24.45 Indefinitely over his Houshold that is universally not over some one particular part hereof or some sorts of Servants therein but over all And so 2. The Steward whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his Houshold Luke 12.42 without Exception or Limitation So 3. St. Paul having spoken of Christ's Body which is the Church immediately adds Col. 1.24 25. Whereof I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God Of the Church of the Body not of a particular part of the Church nor a singular Member of the Body but of the whole in this sence not that they can ever simultaneously exert it over the Church which is the anti-Anti-christian Usurpation of Rome who pretends to be Lord of all the Stewards of God's House as well as of the inferiour Family Neither can another ever successively exert it among all the Congregations of Christians seeing the Universal CHURCH is so far disperst throughout the Face of the whole Earth So that by their Calling they have such an Universal Stewardship though they are in their Imployment limited to particular Parts of the Family and Houshold of God Now according to the Greatness and Excellency of the Family over which Stewards are placed is the Worth and Dignity of the Stewardship wherefore seeing Ministers are Stewards over the whole Church of God so vastly numerous and the Family being the most glorious and excellent for Qualifications and Priviledges this Stewardship must in Worth and Excellency surposs others 3. If we consider the Duration thereof this Stewardship is for ever during Life being once taken into this Service and Office of God and the Church they are always in it and are bound while they have Abilities Opportunities and any of the Family to officiate over to dispense to them those Things whereof they are Stewards For tho' Defects in Nature and Corporal Inabilities and Persecutions and Civil Impediments may hinder the Imployments of the Ministry they cannot deprive of the Office and Function but these being removed they must be sure to act as Stewards Every consecrated Minister has nailed his Ear to the Posts of the Sanctuary for a perpetual Service 1 Cor. 9.16 so saith St. Paul Though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me Tea wo is unto me if I preach not the gospel having the stewardship of the gospel once committed to him A moral Necessity was layen upon him to preach it ever after and if he should wilfully refuse it woe would be unto him as a wilful Neglecter of the Duties of his Calling As consecrated Priests and Levites under the Law never became profane Persons but were still accounted Holy to the Lord and fed and maintained by the holy Things so neither can they who under the Gospel are devoted to and by God taken into this Ministry and Stewardship ever alienate themselves from it and if they do they incur the Guilt of horrid Sacriledge Indeed there may be some extraordinary Case wherein it may be lawful for a Man to lay aside his Ministerial Function and assume another As suppose two Brothers the one a King the other a Bishop as has been usual because of the great Riches and Authority of the Clergy the King dies without Issue and unless the Bishop that next Heir to the Crown succeeds there is a Moral Necessity of the Overthrow of Church and State of the Introduction of Popery and Slavery and the Law of the Land makes the Regal and Episcopal Dignities to be utterly inconsistent in one Person I doubt not but 't would be the Duty of the Bishop to degrade himself and to lay