Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A49797
|
Magna Charta ecclesiæ universalis the grand charter issued out and granted by Jesus Christ for the plantation of the Christian faith in all nations ... / by George Lawson ...
|
Lawson, George, d. 1678.
|
1686
(1686)
|
Wing L708; ESTC R37962
|
90,290
|
226
|
was worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing And as he was only worthy so God his Father alone was able to give so great power for it was given which implies that Christ as man had it not of himself it was not an original and primitive but a delegate and derivative power 2. He was no usurper he did not glorifie himself he had a fair and clear title by donation from the universal supream and eternal Soveraign who might justly dispose of it as he pleased he was decreed to this place from of old designed to it from his Birth and Conception and began to act in it after his Baptism But upon his resurrection he was declared more solemnly to be King and Priest The words of the decree and patent were these Psal. 2. 7 8. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee for then God set him his King upon his holy hill of Zion gave him the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession And as by these words he was made King so by the same he was made Priest for so we read Heb. 5. 5. He glorified not himself nor took upon him to be high Priest but he was made such by him who said Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee This day is the day of resurrection and for God to beget him that day was not only to raise him from the dead but to create him universal King and Priest When he was ascended into heaven he was set at the right hand of God took more full possession of his Kingdom and by oath was confirmed an eternal Priest and from that time began to exercise his universal power to command the Angels and to rule over men Sect. 3. The end wby Christ signified unto them the receiving of this power was 1. To let them know that now in part he had received his glorious reward for his deep humiliation and great service performed upon the Cross and the time of his full glorification was at hand and that suffering was the way to glory 2. That he had full power to grant them a large commission and therefore as his Father sent him so he sends them and as he could so he would make good whatsoever they did according to this patent for upon this universal power received by Christ depends the ministry of the Gospel and the efficacy of Word and Sacraments which must continue unto the worlds end and by vertue thereof the Apostles and their successours shut and open the gates of heaven and what they bind or loose on earth is ratified in heaven and this is the great comfort to the universal Church and especially to the Ministers thereof that the blessed Lord and Saviour who hath made so many and great promises is enabled by this great power to make them all good Chap. 2. Ver. 19. Of Christs mandate Sect. 1. NOw follows the second commission granted by Christ unto his Apostles wherein we have the institution of the Ministry for the dispensation of Word and Sacraments tending to the conversion edification and eternal salvation of sinful man and in the text with the words following three things are observable 1. The party granting the commission 2. The parties to whom it s granted 3. The parts of it 1. The party granting it is Christ as risen from the dead having received all power in heaven and earth and ready to ascend into heaven that he might send down the Holy Ghost to enable the persons commissioned more fully to discharge their trust 2. The parties to whom it was granted were first the Apostles and in them all Ministers lawfully called to succeed them in the dispensation of the Word and Sacraments 3. The parts of the commission are two 1. A mandate 2. A promise 1. The mandate we have in these words Go teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you This mandate in respect of the matter hath four parts 1. They must go to all Nations 2. They must preach and disciple them 3. They must baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost 4. They must teach them to observe all the commandments of Christ. The promise also for the matter is twofold for Christ engageth himself unto them for 1. His presence and assistance I will be with you 2. The continuance of his presence and assistance for he will be with you to the worlds end The mandate did give them power and bound them to exercise it The promise did encourage to go on with the work and gave them hope of success The mandate bound them to Christ the promise bound Christ to them The words of the mandate and promise may be reduced to three propositions or divine axioms The 1. Christ grants a commission to the Apostles 2. In this commission â—se commands them to go disciple baptize teach all Nations 3. He promiseth certainly to be with them always unto the worlds end The 1. Christ grants a commission to the Apostles is to be handled briefly to make way for the enisung discourse A commission issuing out from some eminent power hath two effects for it 1. Gives authority and power to the party commissioned 2. Binds to exercise that power according to the instructions given This Authority and the obligation usually follow upon a Mandate for when God or higher powers command any under their power to do any thing expressed in the mandate then the party commanded hath not only power but is bound to do it when Christ therefore as universal Lord and Soveraign had signified his will and pleasure unto the Apostles and expressed what their work was this signification was not only a sufficient warrant for the dispensation of Word and Sacraments in the administration of his heavenly Kingdom but also bound to the performance of their duty And now if they do any thing specified in the mandate it must needs he valid according to the Constitution of the universal Empire and they must be indemnified as no ways guilty of presumptuous usurpation or intrusion into their Office And if they be diligent and faithful in their place and perform their duty they may make a good account and expect a reward By vertue of this mandate the Apostles received an extraordinary and all Ministers duly qualified elected approved an ordinary power And it s a great comfort and content unto a Minister when he can truly say and his conscience testifie it I did not go before I was sent and the word of the Lord came to me before I did presume to declare it to others I did not assume power before it was given me neither have I done any thing for which I have not my Masters command As Christ gave so the Apostles received this commission yet
this Chapter is to reduce the matter of these Commandments into the form of a more explicit vow that so every one that owns his Baptism may know what by vertue thereof he is more particularly bound to perform 1. I believe in one eternal infinite glorious Lord who hath by his Almighty power created Heaven and Earth and all things therein Redeemed mankind by the precious blood of his Eternal Word made flesh sanctifies his Elect people and by a Covenant of grace is become my God in Christ do renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and all false Gods and Idols and all Profane Irreligious thoughts I deny my self and wholly resign up my self unto him with all the powers and faculties of my soul and body I take him for my supreme Lord Lawgiver Judge Redeemer by Jesus Christ upon whom alone I depend for Salvation and for whom I am ready to bear the Cross and sacrifice my self at any time when called unto it He alone shall be the object of my great Love Fear Service Reverence Confidence Joy Solace and Delight To him alone I will present my Prayers Praises Thanksgiving Glory Honour as only eternally worthy of it and abhorring all Pride I will with greatest humility adore his glorious Majesty and be nothing in my self that I may be all in my God I tremble to think of Apostasie or denying my Saviour to whom I will be faithful to the end as I expect glory and life everlasting from my God by him 2. I will not make any Image or Likeness of any thing in Heaven and Earth or in the Waters under the Earth for to represent his glorious and eternal excellency and God-head but will abandon all false and base conceits and apprehensions of him and look upon him as represented in his mighty and wonderful works and his holy and most blessed word I will not bow down unto any Image or Likeness for to worship it nor perform any service unto it as though it had any Divine excellency or sanctifying power in it or were any sign of Gods special presence without his institution I renounce all Traditions Ceremonies Customs Inventions Practices of men in Religious Worship that are contrary to Gods Word or imposed and enjoyned as necessary parts of Worship I will serve and worship my God with that kind of worship which he hath instituted in the Gospel which shall be the rule according to which I will pray confess give thanks praise hear the word celebrate the Sacraments and perform all other Religious Service unto him in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ and not of Angels Saints or the blessed Virgin And this shall move me much because the Lord my God is a jealous God and will not endure Superstition in Worship the devices of men which pollute and debase his service tend unto and many times end in Idolatry which he will punish not only in the Fathers who begin it give examples to others but also in the Children unto the third and fourth Generation and will shew mercy to such as worship him with a pure Virgin love according to his institution unto a thousand Generations Both the fear and love of my God and the hope of Reward according to his gracious promises shall work much upon me 3. I will not swear vainly or falsly nor call upon my God to be a witness against my soul in affirming or denying any thing which I do not certainly know to be so as it is affirmed or denyed by me or in promising that which I know I have no power to do or no sincere intention to perform for so I should dishonour his glorious name deceive and disappoint my neighbour lose my interest in my God and bring his curse upon me for he will certainly punish and severely revenge all such iniquity I promise that when I take up the name of my God in swearing praying unto him praising of his name and in performing all other his religious service I will do it with humility reverence deliberation due preparation the sincerity of my heart that so I may be innocent before God just towards men and that my service may be accepted of him and effectually conducing to his glory I will abhor all prophane cursing all blasphemous thoughts and words against his Majesty his word and holy Institution 4. Seeing my God requires a set and determinate time to be set apart for religious worship and his more solemn service I will remember and have a special care to observe that holy rest and apply it to the performance of more holy duties converse with my God and prepare my self for that eternal sabbath and full communion with him which he hath promised and prepared to be enjoyned by his people in the place of eternal glory And seeing he hath granted mesix days for my wordly business and secular imployments I will endeavour in that time so to order and dispatch my business that I may not be distracted in his service upon that day which he hath appropriated to himself and in a peculiar manner made his own And I will have a care not only to rest and sanctifie that time in mine own person but I will command such as are under my power and use all means to cause them both to rest and sanctifie it with me And seeing according to the Gospel the first day of the week is honoured blessed hallowed by the Resurrection of my Saviour and the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon both which depends our eternal Salvation I will weekly observe and sanctifie that day in remembrance of the great benefits of Redemption by Christ and of sanctification by the Holy Ghost and of taking down the partition-wall and the shadows of Moses Law the body and substance whereof is Christ. And by the observation of this time I will renounce all Heathenism Mahometism and Judaism and testifie my self a Christian believing in Christ already come This day I will not neglect or profane by idleness or any works and so profanely mispend it to the dishonour of my God and the hindrance of my Salvation As for works of necessity of charity towards man or beast or such as tend to the sanctification of the day I will take liberty to do them according as my God hath allowed neither will I neglect those solemn times of prayer and thanksgiving appointed by Ecclesiastical and Civil Authority for the publick service of God And I shall account the free and quiet enjoyment of these holy times and the Communion of Saints to be a great blessing 5. Next unto my God I must love my Neighbour made in his image and redeemed with the precious blood of Christ and I must love him as my self These are natural Parents civil Powers and Magistrates in the State Ministers in the Church and all such as God hath set over us for our good These I promise to reverence and honour according to their excellency and dignity I will