Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	action_n	spiritual_a	temporal_a	3,151	5	9.9667	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05417	Two sermons one preached at Paules Crosse December 20. By Roger Lea Master of Arts, of Iesus-Colledge in Cambridge: and preacher at S. Leonards Shorditch, in Middlesex, by London. Another preached in Paules-Church, Decemb. 26, being S. Steuens day, by Iohn Squire, Master of Arts, of the same Colledge: and preacher of the same parish	Ley, Roger, b. 1593 or 4.; Squire, John, ca. 1588-1653. Sermon preached in Pauls church upon Saint Stevens fay. 1618. aut	1619 (1619)	STC 15569; ESTC S103084	38,824	74

it For then is gouernment happie when these three are ioyned a man to haue dignitie of rule a lawfull authority and power sufficient to execute his function Gods will is that gouernment should bee well armed and furnished that common wealths may enioy their priuiledges and for his glorie to stand stoutly to their taske And the miseries of kingdomes doe then spring vp when these are seuered When a man ruleth by tyrannie insteed of authoritie When a mans authoritie is mastered and ouerruled that hee cannot smite as occasion doth require Or when hee hath both rule and authoritie wanting gifts or power to set them forwards You see then these three doe rarely fit the purpose in describing the condition of worldly gouernment This dignitie is put downe at the second comming of Christ for two reasons First because sinne ceaseth For the law is not for the iust but for their-religious the disobedient and the sinner 1. Tim. 1. No happinesse in religion or security in temporall matters can stand without it here on earth Eccles politic 1. see 10. M. Hooker supposeth the worst times of the world to haue beene before the flood Wee may conclude it also from the greatnesse of the plague a vniuersall deluge There were but eight iust men and a Cham among them righteousnesse was so exceeding scant in that age The cause of this by him is ascribed the want of rulers We reade not of any till the time of Nimrod the first Monarch who liued after the flood Law is the restraint and the Magistrate the destroyer of sin From this we haue an vndeniable argument against the Anabaptists abusing that speech in the twentieth of S. Mathew The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion but he that will be chiefe among you let him be your seruant Hereupon these men haue dreamed that after Christs comming we should bee without rulers or authoritie See how this cause and this text doe combine to giue an ouerthrow to their fancie Rule and authoritie and power must hold till the sinnes of men bee ended vpon earth And when is that At the last day of iudgement when the kingdome is deliuered vp to God the Father Againe let vs quench a sparke not yet broken out into that Anbaptisticall flame I meane our Nouelists at home that from the same words haue contended to breake the bond of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction The same way discouers their error If our ministery be yet subiect vnto sinne and specially to fall by erroneous doctrine there must be rulers to suppresse and censure it If sickenesse be here here we must haue phisicke euen a most perfect rule authoritie and power seeing the falles of religion are most dangerous For spirituall rulers are to censure things spirituall to keepe vnder falsehood and to curbe the violence of faction Onely where sinne is not there must gouernment cease when Christ shall wipe away euery blemish in the life to come Secondly in this life we are not growne to our full ripenesse wee are in our none-age nor as yet aduanced to the heritage of heauen Now Saint Paul saith in the fourth chapter to the Galathians the first verse The heire as long as he is a childe differeth not from aseruant but is vnder Tutors and Gouernours till the time appointed of the Father Status huius vitae assimulatur pueritiae saith Aquin. The state of this life is the state of a childe as long as we liue here we must be guided no man is so wise but hee wanteth admonition The counsell of superiours must direct vs the counsell of Gods word must direct them and both must still desire the Spirit of God to direct both Euery one is of himselfe vnsufficient to tread the steps of righteousnesse his care must be euer bent to chuse a good leader that may guide his feete into the way of peace The next thing I obserue from hence is the naming of rulers in the changing of the world The greatnesse of their power is here declared As the next life is gouerned by the Father so the world seemeth to be theirs and committed into their hands There God is all in all here on earth they are all in all And great is the stroke and infinite are those matters that be carried in the name and office of Superiours The greatnesse of their calling now must shew the greatnesse of their charge For God giueth not this honour for nothing but as they stand for him in their dignity So they be like him in their actions Let this consideration smite the heart of euery ruler both spirituall and temporall seuerally to examine their conscience whether in their proceedings they make God a patterne Euery one that is more then a priuate man that hath either rule or authority or power be it more or lesse it is a gift of God and it is borne not for himselfe but for God To the good is a reward vnspeakeable a double honour for a double benefit For wise men they shall shine like the brightnesse of the firmament but they that turnem●ny to righteousnesse shall shine like starres in the 12. of Daniel Seeing they liued here like starres that did not keepe their light in their owne Sphaere but diffused the same abroad vpon the earth their glory shall bee like the starres and answerable to their worke Blessed then is that power in earth that beareth it selfe in true loyalty and subiection to the power in heauen But to the bad I must denounce a true tragedy from this text And indeede tragedies are for great men the institution is ancient for in old time the Comedies were for the meaner sort and we obserue the same custome If we may interpret that which is past there is some terrible thing in this obseruation For the mighty to whome is giuen height of place and the same graced with a latitude of prosperity they flie out without any feare and because they keepe not within compasse they are wounded by a higher hand and dashed vnder the feete of a Supreame Maiesty The Lord will contest most sharpely with these men in the day of iudgement that tooke the sword from him and either did not manage the cause with courage or smote against him He will complaine as Pompey did against the men he put in trust Comment de bello cibili lib. 3. Caesar writeth His often exclamations were bent against them Aquo genere hominum victoriam speresset ab eo initio fugae facto pene proditus videretur Those men whom he supposed would winne the victory where the first that did turne their heeles to the enemy and in a sort be tray him For vs and our times I now for beare to censure of actions For in the matters of state that which is well done may haue an ill shew and that which is ill done may seeme commendable to ordinary apprehension To come then to the conscience where the testimony should bee most infallible It is a rule propounded

by Philosophers and drawne from morrals of the Heathen much more must it hold in the Christian common wealth that the publike good must bee so preferred by the ruler that hee ought to put it before the priuate in his heart the glory of God before his owne and the welfare of the countrey before his priuate commodity all the omitting of necessary good all winking at euill doth lie vpon the necke of the Superiour This must excite a diligent care that a ruler must rule himselfe with more then an ordinary circumspection In these euill daies wherein the vniuersall crie of sinne betraies it selfe when men cry out of a corrupt age and say that the world is ending because that vice abounds Here you see a cause that requireth industry The spirituall power must detect sinne and inueigh with vehemency the sword of the temporall power must correct and reforme with seuerity to procure amendment I must confesse that we cannot haue Platoes common-wealth neither can we so labour but our purging will leaue drosse behind it Sinne when it is smitten will rise againe and some abuses will be incurable yet a man must bestir that power that he hath and doe his best or else God will punish him for slacknesse and visite with a heauy Iudgement because he did not visite offendours with his deriued authority and that iudgement committed into the rulers power That I may finish this point there is a gouernment which masters haue and parents also ouer their children For the Lord hath giuen much authority power and rule to them See the great care of almighty God his desire is to see things well ordered and hath placed a threefold authority in the world spirituall in the pastour temporall in the Magistrate as also domesticall in priuate families in as much as a threefold cord is not easily broken He in mercy striueth to giue sin the foyle and draw vnder the world into true obedience Doe masters and fathers represent diuine authority Let them be then in Gods place to bring vp and tutor those vnder them in Gods feare to teach and instruct them in religion not to let them sinke or swim to let them liue or die in ignorance pretending businesse they haue no leasure or corrupted by the diuell with a foolish bashfulnesse that maketh them to let passe this duty Doubtlesse the Lord will require their blood at the hands of slacke ouerseers But when I say masters must teach their seruants I doe not meane they must teach them to lie or to deceiue and by example or command to corrupt them in their youth in shewing those base and false proceedings that when the age is greene and capable of all conditions youth is spoyled before it can discerne and the new vessell seasoned with vnseasonable liquor this is odious instruction Is this to be a tutor or gouernour in Gods place This is like to Antichrist that sitteth in the Temple of God but aduanceth himselfe against all that is called God I haue the rather insisted vpon this subiect for the corrupter of the earth the power of hell will alwaies be ready to poison the degrees of gouernment and mustereth all the forces against true authority to hinder the endeauours of good men that they may be crossed and opposed that here the bond of amity may be broken that the affaires of the world may draw the minde another way working like to Sampson that laid hold vpon the pillars whereon the house did stand that ouerthrowing them the house and the men might fall in a common ruine If he also can lay hands on him that is commander then he is in his prime such intentions that are fostered in the highest places doe best agree with his desires and are most like to spread abroad knowing that when the fumes and cloudes are fitted in the a●re when the sky is darke aboue the storme will come and the earth shall feele a tempest Lastly see that the Lord to shew his power triumphs against them that are highest To breake downe them that are already low is an argument of lesser might but when these are brought downe whome none could tame when their power is abrogated that before was not to bersisted by violence or stubborn contradiction or gain-said in their commands here we see a mighty arme and a powerfull blow This must bee a great argument to feare the Lord and to dread his displeasure because his reach is vnlimited no compasse or strength can stay his force The greatest man on earth oweth as much humility to God as the meanest and is equally yoaked to vndergoe the edicts of heauen Wee preach alike to all and God will deale without distinction Christ in Daniel is described to ouerthrow kingdomes That Image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in the dreame with a gold on head with armes and brest of siluer and the rest did either signifie the foure great Monarchies of the world or else the three first with the remnant of Alexanders succession Although this Image was most glorious yet a stone cut without hands brake the Image and became a great mountaine filling the whole earth And as the Scepter was not departed from Iuda nor a Law-giuer from betweene his feete till Shilo came So Christ will alwaies make his comming notable with alterations When Shilo came first Iuda lost his Scepter and when he commeth againe the world shall loose all dominion You see how infinite is the the power of God aboue all earthly power Let no man swell in greatnesse of heart although the Lord exalt him to height of dignitie but that mildnesse and moderation may temper him in all his counsels For there is one aboue euery man euen our Sauiour that can turne him as he pleaseth The time shall come when scepters shall be broken when power shall grow impotent and when authoritie shall loose her authoritie Thus much for the first which is the doing of good I will now enter into the second which is the remoouing of euill He must reigne till he hath put all his enemies vnder his fecte First of his kingdome As Christ is God hee must reigne Hee reigneth ouer all as hee is Mediatour hee reigneth also Which office belongeth to him according to both his natures whereby hee maketh his kingdome absolute by vniting two in one bond reconciling the subiect and the soueraigne God and man This assumed kingdome is the thing here mentioned which is inferiour to the diuinitie For Christ is God by nature and of necessity but he is Mediatour by election and office it was a thing arbitrarie he might haue chosen whether hee would haue suffered the world to sinke in sinne or to haue redeemed it by his merits Ignatius therefore maketh a threefold difference of all first of the creatures secondly of the office of the Mediatour aboue all creatures thirdly of the diuine nature This kingdome hath a large extent he reigneth euery way and in euery place in the rulers and ministers one

Daniel 2. verse 44. And in the daies of these kings shall the King of heauen set vp a kingdome that shall neuer be destroyed and the kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall consume and breake in peeces all these kingdomes and it shall stand for euer Againe Luke the 1 and the 33. the Angell Gabriel said to the Virgin Marie He shall reigue ouer the house of lacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall be no end How then doth the Apostle say hee shall bee made subiect and deliuer vp the kingdome to the Father Secondly the Arrians haue vrged this place against the diuinity of Christ that he is not of the same nature and equality with the Father because he is here said to bee subiect and to giue ouer his kingdome therefore his power and dignity is not eternall hee that is God can be vnder none as here the Sonneresigneth his soueraignity to the Father I will answer both these by expounding the words for when they are well explained these doubts will vanish of them selues to this purpose I lay downe these two conclusions First not withstanding the words here seeme to inferre the contrary Christ shall reigne for euer For he sitteth at the right hand of the Father a place of honour and aduancement If he then reigned before in the field much more must he reigne in his owne pallace where he sitteth in the throne of Maiestie Christ is the head of the Church if he be the head then hee must needs gouerne still and keepe that height that is due to the highest part His very humanity obteining honour aboue all creatures euen aboue the Angels themselues as it is in the first to the Hebrewes prooued from my text To which of his Angels did he say sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole The second conclusion In Scripture things that are heauenly are vsually ascribed to the Father although they appertaine to the Sonne if they doe not appertaine to his office to disclose to vs and doe not concerne this life then he puts them from himselfe to the Father Of this we haue sundry examples Our Sauiour Christ maketh himselfe ignorant of the day of Iudgement Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels in heauen nor the Sonne himselfe saue only the Father Some haue supposed that Christ as hee was man knew not that day and certainely he knew it not by his humanity although it is likely he knew it in his humanity For as he was man hee was king and it derogateth from the Maiesty of a king to be ignorant in his owne times or affaires Secondly Ioh. 3.34 he had not the spirit by measure therefore he knew all that a creature could know or receiue by vertue of his vnion to the diuinity But his meaning is It is not a thing that appertaines to my office to declare I came to teach things necessary to saluation but this is a secret thing that must rest in the counsell of my Father So Caluin vpon the place Non dubium est quin ad munus sibi a patre impositum respiciat He had respect to the commission that the Father had giuen him when he said he knew not the day of iudgement Againe Matthew the 20. verse the 23. Christ answereth the mother of the Sons of Zebedeus To sit at the right hand and left hand in my kingdome is not mine to giue but it is for them for whom it is prepared of my Father No doubt but Christ had power to giue that as well as the Father Mat. 11.27 For he saith in another place all things are deliuered vnto me of my Father But the meaning is I come to teach patience can you drinke of the cup that I must drinke of and be baptized with the baptisme that I must be baptized with that is my office now to declare but to satisfie these climing thoughts to tell who shall be highest or lowest in the kingdome of God and now at first to answer your request I come not to doe it in this life but my Father reserueth it for whom he pleaseth in another world Againe Iohn the 14. and the 28. The Father is greater then I. The Arrians haue abused that place in the same manner making Christ inferiour to the Father Zanchius de tribus Elohim lib. 3. cap. 10. But the meaning is Status ille Coelestis apud patrem praestantior est isto The glory that I haue here is not so great as the glory of heauen For when the disciples were grieued because he told them of his departure to the Father he raiseth them vp with this comfortable speech The Father is greater then I that is the heauenly comfort is better then that content you haue in my earthly presence From hence we may collect that the matters of heauen are by our Sauiour ascribed to the Father although they belong to him Indeede the Father and the Sonne do reigne ioyntly togither and wheresoeuer the one reigneth the other reigneth also But because the Son tooke vpon him our flesh and was incarnate among men whereas the Father was not made man nor yet seene by any mortall eye but reueileth himselfe by the Son as by his image Earth is the kingdome of the Sonne and heauen the kingdome of the Father These Heretikes call not the diuinity of the Father into question but all confesse him to be a king yet he saith in the second Psalme and 6. verse I haue set my kingdome vpon my holy hill of Sion If Christs ruling do not exclude the ruling of the Father by the like consequence the ruling of God the Father doth no way derogate from the dignity of the Sonne These two conclusions being now set downe all cauils against this truth doe vanish For Christs dominion is as large as euer Euen when he giueth vp the kingdome to God the Father Christ is said to deliuer vp the kingdome in three respects First because he ceaseth to execute that authority which neuerthelesse he hath as a Iudge that goeth from the bench is a Iudge still although he giue no iudgement but imployeth his time in other occasions And as a warriour that liueth in the time of peace or sleepeth doth retaine his old valour although he want opportunity to set forth his might by proouing it in outward action So Christ is said to resigne his place not that his authority is subiect to diminution but that he maketh no shew for when his enemies are all put vnder there is no neede that any more blowes should proceed from his kingly power Secondly Christ deliuereth vp the kingdome to God the Father not because his authority is impayred but because the manner of his kingdome shall be changed He shall not reigne in the same fashion there needeth no preaching in heauen because there is no sinne There neede no sacraments for when wee enioy Christ that is the