Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
kingdom_n key_n open_v shut_v 2,164 5 9.3630 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A91955 Episcopal government instituted by Christ, and confirmed by cleere evidence of Scripture, and invincible reason. / Collected by the pains of R.R. Preacher of the Gospell. Rollock, Robert, 1555?-1599. 1641 (1641) Wing R1885; Thomason E238_6; ESTC R4045 29,352 39

There are 2 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

the flesh so God the Son appointed the other to continue until his second comming to judgement and both to remaine in that same case for Dignitie and Authoritie wherein they were first established My second Argument is this If the callings of the Apostles c. cannot be called extraordinary quo ad post neither in regard of their extraordinary gifts nor extraordinary manner of calling nor the extent of their charge nor their infallibilitie of Spirit then it is not extraordinary at all in regard of the time to come But for none of these foresaid respects can their calling be called extraordinary in regard of the time to come And therefore it was not extraordinary in regard of the time to come I prove the Assumption and first that their calling cannot be called extraordinary in regard of their extraordinary gifts the gift of Prophecie and the gift of Miracles c. for then if it shall please God to bestow extraordinary gifts upon ordinary Ministers of the Gospel their calling should cease any longer to be ordinary which is absurd to say for it is evident in Scripture That ordinary Ministers both of the Law the Gospel have had extraordinary gifts as Samuel who was a Priest which was an ordinarie calling for although Samuel was not of the Tribe of Levi yet he was a Nazarite who might by Gods own appointment serve at the Altar and yet he had extraordinary gifts 1 Sam. 1.11 Zachary was a Priest and yet he had the gift of Prophecie Iohn 11.50 51. so the Apostle Iames saith That Elders in his time had the gift of Healing Iam. 5.14 15. and yet no man will say that the calling of an Elder was extraordinary other then are now so the calling of a King is an ordinary calling and yet David King of Israel was a Prophet as well as a King and in a word we read in ancient Histories That many Church-men have had extraordinary gifts and yet their callings were ordinarie and so I conclude that extraordinary gifts doe not make an extraordinary calling Next the extent of their charge doth not make their calling extraordinary because necessitie requireth that it should be so untill the time that the Gospel should be propagated to the ends of the earth so that if there be any Nation yet unconverted as without doubt there are too many the Governours of the Church are bound so far as they are able to labour their conversion to the faith of Jesus Christ for I thinke no man will say but that that charge given to the Apostles goe teach all Nations c. remayns still in force Thirdly as for the manner of their calling being without Education Triall and Ordination it makes it extraordinarie in regard of the time past but not in regard of the time to come for the High Priest and Priests under the Law the manner of their calling was extraordinary in regard of the time past and without both Triall and Education and yet notwithstanding their calling was Ordinary in regard of the time to come and to be continued in the Church untill Christ his comming in the flesh And lastly infallibilitie of Spirit which the Apostles had makes not their calling extraordinary for they behoved to be infallibly guided because they were to lay the foundation whereupon others were to Build they were to Plant others only to Water that which they had planted they were to establish the Faith which all ages to come are bound to professe and so it was most necessary that they should be infallibly guided by the Spirit Further Christs promise is not only to be with his Apostles but with them and their Successours untill the end of the World And loe I am with you saith hee untill c. Now I will prove by evidence of Scripture That the calling of the Apostles was an ordinary calling and to be continued untill the second comming of our Saviour with the same Power and Authoritie both for Ordination and Jurisdiction which they had themselves My first testimony is in Mat. 28.19 out of which I form this argument They that were commanded to teach and baptize all Nations untill the end of the World their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World But the Apostles were commanded to teach and baptise all Nations untill the end of the World And therefore their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World The reason of the Proposition is this because the Apostles were not other wayes able to keepe this Commandement but in their Successors in the Generations to come if it had pleased God by his Omnipotent Power to preserve them alive and keep them in health of bodie and strength of Minde for that end I thinke none would have been more able then they but it pleased him not to doe so and therefore it is most evident that this Commandement must bee kept in their Successours and consequently That the calling of the Apostles was ordinary in regard of the time to come My second Testimonie is in Marke 16.15 The Argument is this They who were commanded by Christ to preach the Gospel to every creature that is to all men without exception untill the end of the World their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World But the Apostles were commanded by Christ to preach the Gospel to all men without exception untill the end of the World And therefore their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World This Argument is of that same force with the former for if they to whom our Saviour gives this charge were to preach the Gospel to all and every man without exception then the Apostles being not able to doe it themselves were bound to deliver that commandement to faithful men and they again to others and so from age to age to be traduced as long as there is men upon earth to whom the Gospel must be preached and so still The calling of the Apostles must be ordinary and to be continued untill the end of the World The third Testimony is in Matthew 18.18 and John 20.23 The Argument is this They to whom our Saviour Christ gave the Keys of the Kingdome of Heaven their calling was ordinarie and to continue untill the end of the World But our Saviour Christ gave to his Apostles the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven And therefore their calling was ordinarie and to continue untill the end of the World This has ever beene constantly maintained That our Saviour Christ gave the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Apostles and their Successors to this end that as long as there were sinners upon earth the gates of Heaven might be opened to the Penitent and shut upon the impenitent so as long as there is a Sinner upon earth to repent or a penitent Sinner to be pardoned as long must there be men endued with Apostolicall power to preach Repentance to all
Israell Deut. 17. to go to the Priests and Levits and the Judge that shall be in those days and aske and they would shew them the sentence of judgement yea did not both these Offices to be Judge and Priest jump in one man many times before the Law we read that Melchizedec was both King and Priest Gen. 14. Heb. 7. and it is constantly believed also that the eldest Sons of the Patriarks were both Kings and Priests was not Eli both high Priest and Judge of the People for the space of 40. yeeres and Samuel for the space of thirty yeeres and it is well known that the Macabees after the captivity were Rulers both in Civill and Ecclesiasticall causes Truly I will say thus much If the civill places of Church-men be unlawfull now it is either because Princes now stand not in so much need of the counsell and advice of the Messengers of God as Princes did thē or God doth not inable now his Embassadors with such a measure of wisdome and understanding as hee did the Priests under the Law Truly to say the first were to derogate from the wisdome and religion of the Godly and religious Kings in those dayes and to say the second were to derogate from the providence favour and goodnesse of God most abundantly bestowed upon his servants under the Gospell There is but one place in all the new Testament that seemes to oppose the Doctrine I have delivered viz the words of our Saviour Mat. 20.25 The Lords of the Gentiles saith he have dominion over them and they that are great exercise Authority over them but it shall not bee so among you c. Ans The best interpreters both ancient and moderne understand the words so as is forbidden all greedie desire of governing and tyrannicall dominion and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to bear rule Tyranically according to the interpretation of most learned Divines but al sort of power is not forbidden here a paternall is not forbidden the truth of this will appeare to any man that will but take a strict view of the words for first ye see Christ forbids such domination as the Lords of the Gentiles exercised towards their inferiours and not that moderate and lawfull power exercised by Church-men under the Law for if Christ had meant of the Priestly jurisdiction he● would have said out of all question I will not have degrees and ranks among you one above another as it is betweene the High Priest in feriour Priests and Levits no I will have you all of alike power and authority Again our Saviour saith that they that are great exercise authoritie over their subjects that is great and mighty men proud men they domineere over their inferiours and make slaves of them but saith our Saviour It must not be so among you yee must not domineere in that kinde but hee saith he that will be great among you let him be servant to the rest that is Let him so demean himself that yee may be defended maintained protected and cared for both in Soul and body so that in my judgement these words doe necessarily imply a Superiority and that not in dignity but in all Authority Power and Jurisdiction lawfull and laudable and therefore this text was never used by any Divine but against the tyrannicall power of the Church of Rome and the Popes usurped authority who takes upon him to depose Kings and translate Kingdomes and tyrannize over mens consciences Would to God that such doings might not also be laid to the charge of some others who pretend greater humility and loyalty Moreover we see in the New Testament that the Apostles did no● denude themselves of all civill employment for the Scripture saith that many fold their Land and came and laid the monies downe at the Apostles feete whereof no doubt they had a speciall care that it was well employed and distributed according to every ones necessity s● that it would seeme that the civill power of Churchmen is not altogether unlawfull truly in my judgement it is as unlawfull for a Minister to take the charge of a House and Family for it carrieth with it as great distraction yea more worldly incumbrances more troubles and turmoyles then to be a Counsellor of State And so I may reason If that charg which involves a man in infinit worldly cares troubles perplexities be no sin to a Minister to take upon him then far lesse is it a sinne to a Minister to take upon him a charge and employment which doth not involve him in any intricate or distracting cares and businesses as to be a Counsellor of State a Justice of Peace a Judge of Controversies between brother and brother Well Calvin and Beza both thought it not unlawfull to be chief Counsellors of Geneva that mirrour of Religion Learning S. Aug. many hundred yeers before them thought it not unlawfull neither yea not to be burdened with civill incumbrances heare what he saith and I will end with it I call the Lord Jesus to witnesse saith he upon my soul in whose name I boldly utter these words that touching my own commoditie I had much rather every day work something with my own hands as it is appointed in well governed Monasteries and to have the houres free to read and to pray and to doe some exercise in the holy Scriptures then to suffer the tumultuous perplexities of other mens causes touching Secular affaires either in determining them by judging or in cutting them off by intreaties To which molestations the Apostle tied us not by his own judgment but by his judgement who spake in him which troubles for all that himself did not undergo because his course Apostolicall had another respect which labour notwithstanding we endure with consolation in the Lord for the hope of eternall life that wee may bring forth fruit with patience for we are servants of the Church especially to the weak members how mean members soever we are in the same bodie I referre to the consideration of the learned and religious Reader the weight and authority of this Fathers Testimony Further if our Saviour Christ understands an equality of Church-men in these words It must be understood only to be among the Apostles whom our Saviour Christ would have all of the same rank and degree but they cannot be so understood as importing an equality betwixt them and the other 70. whom hee so manifestly distinguished from the 12. as I have told you before Lastly was not Christ himselfe superiour to the 12 and yet no man will say that Christ did transgresse that Commandement which he gave unto them Christ did exercise paternall authority over them and the same authority hee committed unto them over other inferiour Ministers yea and the same also they exercised over them for the which cause our Saviour Christ said to them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me he committed to them his owne place in the chiefe government of the Church and gave chiefly unto them the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven he said not to the 70. whose sinnes yee remit shall be remitted and whose sinnes yee retain shall be retained but to the 12. They had all power granted them immediatly from Christ and they committed that power to others according to their own pleasure Now I say no more but these reasons have prevailed with mee to sway and settle my judgment in the points before discussed which I commend to the consideration of the judicious and imprejudicate reader for no reason can prevaile against prejudice and I pray God to enlighten the eys of our understanding and to remove all prejudices of flesh and bloud and of this deceitfull World that we may more and more perceive the hidden truths of Scriptures and Mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven Amen Amen FINIS