Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	authority_n	beast_n	dragon_n	2,856	5	10.8521	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02435	A description of the Church of Christ, with her peculiar priuiledges, and also of her commons, and entercommoners With some oppositions and answers of defence, for the maintenance of the truth which shee professeth: against certaine Anabaptisticall and erronious opinions, verie hurtfull and dangerous to weake Christians. Maintained and practised by one Master Iohn Smith, sometimes a preacher in Lincolneshire, and a companie of English people with him now at Amsterdam in Holland. Whome he hath there with himselfe rebaptised. By I.H.	Etherington, John, fl. 1641-1645.	1610 (1610)	STC 12567; ESTC S118987	75,210	130

not apparrell Cesar may forbid God forbiddeth not Cesar may commaund Where there is no law there is libertie wee were in bondage once indeede when shaddowes were in place but now we are freed and set at liberty by the Son who is free and the very substance is in him God commaundeth all times for prayers and supplications 2. Thes 5.15 Cesar one time forbidding no time breaketh no law for euery one is contained in all And so in all other things that are not eyther commaunded or forbidden of God and in obeying Cesar therin wee giue vnto Cesar the thinges that are Cesars whereas otherwise if we obey him not wee are guilty of the breach of the morall law which saieth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And so breaking this one great cōmandement we are guilty of that other the greatest of all Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule c. For although God doth not appoint and commaund Cesar in all what lawes hee shall make yet doth hee confirme all those lawes which hee doth made which are not contrary to his owne lawes and commandeth obedience thereto at the handes of all subiects to their Kings and gouernours and all other their superiours bee they good or bad of what profession soeuer he be whether Prophet or Priest or Bishop true of false so he haue power he must be obeyed or else we are guilty of the wole law of God Rom. 13.1 for all the powers that be as one saith are ordayned of God And therefore whosoeuer hee be that lyeth in prison or suffereth any punishment whatsoeuer for disobeying of any of these his gouernours in any of those lawes or Canons not opposite to Gods lawes he suffereth as an euill doer and so depriueth himselfe of that liberty which the Apostle exhorteth to saying Stand fast in the liberty wherin Christ had made you free and be not entangled againe Gal. 5.1 c. If you doe well saith one who will harme you 1. Pet. 3.13 The daes are past long a goe wherein there was a law which said Touch not tast not handle not c. wherwith consciences might be defiled but thanks bee to God who hath freed vs through Iesus Christ our Lord that whether wee eate or eate not tough or touch not obserue or obserue not wee offend not so that wee haue knowledge neither God nor our consciences so that withall we take heede and make not this liberty a cloake for sinne It is a good garment for a Saint but not for a sinner for hee takes liberty there-vnder 1. Pet. 1 6 to runne into all kind of riot and excesse But we as we must giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars So wee must giue vnto God the things that are Gods And in those things which neither God nor Cesar doth require but is in our owne liberty to take our leaue as to eate and drinke to put on to buy and the like heerein wee must not exceed least it ouercome and rule our affections and so wee turne our liberty to sin much rather let vs forbeare finding them not expedient for though all thinges are lawfull as one saith yet all things are not expedient 1. Cor. 6.12 I will not be brought saith hee vnder the power of any thing And looke on the saith he in another place who walke so as ye haue vs for an example Philip. 3.17.18.19.20 for many walke of whome I haue told you often and now tell you weeping who are enemies to the Cresse of Christ whose end is dānation whose God their belly and glory to their shame which minde earthly things but our conuersation is in hēauen And therefore let vs giue vnto God the things that are Gods and to Cesar the things that are Cesars And if Cesar should require any thing which belongeth to God let vs giue him our liues if we had ten thousand before hee should haue it 1. Pet. 3.17 and then we should not suffer as euill doers but for righteousnesse sake These things look vnto you that run from country to country and you also that stay at home and trouble the proceedings of Sion Know this that yee suffer as euill doers and cause others also to doe the like by following your steppes But some man perhaps will say Obiection I could almost finde in my heart to obey Cesar the King but I cannot abide these Prelates the Bishops to obey them canst thou not indeed Take loue into thy breast and then thou shalt see what thou canst doe I but thou wilt say Hee is no Cesar not yet a lawfull gouernour his calling and power is Antichristian and it came from the beast The Pope of Rome who receiued not his power from God but from the great red Dragon the diuell Reu. 13.2 Answere Well I aunswere Heere thou art deceiued two wayes first whereas thou saiest that our Bishops receiue their callings power from the beast the Pope of Rome is vntrue In former times indeede they did but now they receiue their callings and power from Caesar our King who hath authority to determine and appoint Titus 3.1 euery publique calling in all his kingdomes 1. Pet. 3.13.14 tending to the common-wealth of all his subiects as well for the feeding of their soules as for the preseruation of their bodies and goods And this is a charge laide vpon him by God himselfe as euery housholder is bound to prouide to his power all things necessary for his houshold both for soule and body And as the King is bound to see all his great houshold prouided for to his power and to place ouer them the best and fittest for the purpose I mean for soule and body So he may giue power and authority to all sorts of them to performe the will of God and to see his owne lawes kept and executed without resistance or disturbance Secondly whereas thou saiest that the beast the Pope receiued his power from the great red Dragon the diuell Thou saist true but thou shalt see if thou wilt looke well vpon the matter how thou doest deceiue thy selfe For tell mee who was that great red Dragon was it the diuell himselfe alone or was it the Emperour in whom the diuell dwelt Reu. 12.3 who is said to haue seuen heads and ten hornes wherewith the diuell alone is neuer described but the Emperour it was that gaue him his power and his Throane and great authority in whom the diuell dwelt as he doth in all such like bloudy Tyrants And as he hath done in the beast the Dragons successour in more cruell malice and deceit aboue forty of his two and forty moneths Ren. 13.5 wherein power was giuen him to doe But tell me who gaue the Emperour his power was it not God Christ our Lord saith to the Emperours Deputy Pilat Thou couldst haue no power saith he except it were giuen thee from

aboue Iohn 19.10 So then whether it be the Emperours Deputy Pilat or his successour the Pope or any other that hath authority and power Their power is giuen them from aboue whatsoeuer they be And so one saith true All powers that be Rom. 13.1 are ordained of God and he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God So that what power so euer it be and in whatsoeuer they command or forbid They must be obeyed alwayes prouided that they command not that which God forbiddeth or forbid that which God cōmandeth And so wee giue to Caesar the things that are Caesars But these things are loathsome in your eares and eyes and this of all other vvill goe hardest downe with you For the power and authority of Bishops you hold is Antichristian and to obey their lawes and ordinances you say is to worship the beast Though the things they commaund be neuer so indifferently lawfull in themselues to be done or left vndone their authority and commaund you say makes it abhominable And this is not your saying alone it is a sore that hath festered these thirty yeares in England and hath bred diuers Sects and infectiue errors Our Teachers and writers for pretended reformation were the first planters thereof who through their ignorance in their heat not discerning betweene the thinges of God and the things of Caesar for want of knowledge concerning Christian liberty conceiued a law of forbidding and gaue it out charging the people vppon paine of condemnation to be obedient thereunto whereby they haue brought themselues and many hundred poore soules besides loaden with sinne into a further captiuity and greater bondage then they were in before For whereas their sinnes onely opprest them and remembring Gods promise had almost escaped This law of their Teachers came so suddenly on the necke of them that they were driuen into a harder streight and vnder a more vnrecouerable burden then they were before which hath beene so wearisome vnto them that to ease themselues they haue made Sects and running into them haue fallen into many grosse errours some also falling to and embracing this present world Onely a remnant God hath and will deliuer from these wayward and distastful spirits and giue them to see how Christians are free and yet subiects to Caesar and how the conscience is no more defiled by the commaunder of what condition soeuer hee bee in their obedience then it should be by leauing it vndone if neyther man nor God require it for as wee are freed from the law of Ceremonies once in force before the death of Christ that there is now no more conscience to be made of them but as to be circumcised is nothing so to be vncircūcised is nothing Act. 16.1 2 3. as we may see by the example of Paul and Timothy who after the death resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost was sent vnto the Church after which time Circumcision was as absolutely abolished with all the whole law of Ceremonies A●t 21.24 25 26. as euer it was since to this day yet Paul did purifie himselfe after the maner of the Iewes and circumcised Timothy To proue and shew vnto vs euen to the worlds end That there is no more holinesse or Religion in making conscience to abstaine from Circumcision then there is to be Circumcised for as it is nothing now to be Circumcised seeing the end of it was accomplish't long agoe so is it nothing to bee vncircumcised 1. Cor. 7.18 19. So that if a man of God should now be circumcised to the like end as Timothy was or should fashion himselfe like a Iew 1. Cor. 8.4 5 6. to the same end that Paul did he should sinne no more then Paul and Timothy did Neither should a man offend if he should sit at Table in the Idols Temple and eate of the meate sacrificed to an Idoll so that he know that an Idoll is nothing in the world and dooth esteeme it as the dust vnder his feete he sinneth not so that hee bow not nor giue or shew any reuerence 1. Cor. 10.23 28 29. either to the Idoll the Temple or the Feast but onely receiue the meate with giuing thankes to God Alwaies prouided too withall that there be no weake brother that dooth make conscience for want of knowledge which is offended thereat nor yet any Christian as then there were some that hauing beene bred and brought vp among Idolaters and long accustomed to the Idoll seruice did yet thinke that there was some conscience to bo made 1. Cor. 8. ver 7. ieuerence to be had of it that might be emboldened thereby in that their sinne or encouraged thereby to fall to worship the Idoll againe 1. Cor. 8. and to doe seruice vnto it I say Ver. 10. all these thinges being considered and conscionably regarded and preuented It is no sinne to sit at Table in the Idols Temple and to eate the meate sacrificed to Idols But otherwise all these things considered and done as is aforesaid If he eate meat sacrificed to Idols or sit at the Idols Table he sinneth against the brethren and so against God and not onely so but if he yeeld any reuerence he is also an Idolater Josh 23.7 and sinneth against God in a more high degree Now if these thinges may bee lawfully done amongst the Idolaters and in their Temples as then Christians liued for the most part amongst Idolaters and as these Scriptures doe euidently proue was in their liberty and as Paul saith To the Iew I become as a Iew that I may winne the Iew 1. Cor. 9.19.20.21.22.23 to the Graecian and the Graecian c. Yea I am made all things to all men to the end that I might win some And also that of the Assirian when hee should goe into the house of the Idoll Rimmon and bow downe for his Master to leane on 2. King 5.18.19 when he was worshipping to the Idoll when he made doubt of it the Prophet bad him goe in peace I say if these things bee thus farre in our liberty among the heathen and in place of Idolatry where the end and intent is abhominable And also among the Iewes concerning the ceremonies whose end is absolutely abolished As also in Rome whose commaundements of all other haue in them the greatest abhomination so that we partake not with them in their sinnes least we partake of their plagues Reuel 18.4 If wee may among all these yeeld and obey in things indifferent whatsoeuer the commander be as those Scriptures before mentioned doth witnesse How much more ought wee to be obedient to the lawes and ordinances of England seeing they intend not neither Idolatry nor superstition Considering also what great difference there is betweene our Commanders in profession of Religion and the commanders of the heathen and of Rome the City of abhominations For if I should aske you what King with his vnder

Nations as Christ saith for his name sake Leaue these differences and controuersies and leaue all Then let vs take our pleasure and shake hands with the world and looke after preferments in the earth and promotions as others doe Answere Vnwise man whatsoeuer thou at that doest make this obiection and doest so speake For tell me must thou needs erre on the right hand or on the left Because the law of our land doth not persecute thee for righteousnesse sake wilt thou therefore be disobedient and suffer for thy sinnes Because a godly life and persecution cannot be seperated in this world asunder as it is written 2. Tim. 2.12 Whosoeuer will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution and whosoeuer will be his Disciple must take vp his crosse daily and follow him wilt thou therefore because thou knowest not how to take vp his Crosse nor how to liue godly in Christ Iesus Take vp a Crosse of thine owne making 1. Pet. 2.12 13.14.15.16.17 and because thou wilt be sure to suffer speake euill of them that are in authority resist the ordinance of God and so suffer for euill doing If thou be one of the Lords iustified faithfull ones thou shalt finde aduersaries enow euery day though law and authority should bee on thy side and take thy part Hee is the Minister of God for thy wealth Dauid though he were King himselfe and none in the world aboue him but God yet could hee not preuent the mockes and taunts and drunken songs that were of him nor yet the manifold enemies that pursued his soule night and day wherefore he crucified himselfe and prayed oft with a broken heart and a contrite spirit to him that was able to deliuer him frō all those his ghostly enemies watering his cheeks and bed full many a time and oft with teares Learne therefore to take vp Dauids Crosse to suffer and to be crucified with him with Christ his Lord learne to be Christs Disciple and seruants as Dauid was and to loue the Lord and walke in his waies as Dauid did and thou shalt haue enemies enow wil find thee out both naturall and spirituall thou shalt not neede to goe seeke them onely take vp thy Crosse willingly and with patience and then if thou so suffer with him thou shalt be sure also to raigne with him Shew me one word in all the new Testament that requireth thee to suffer for those thinges that thou pretendest or tell mee which of the Apostles or Christians in the Apostles times did suffer for speaking against or disobeying the law of ceremonies except it were vniustly Act. 25.7.8 and then Paul when the Iewes laide many and greeuous complaints against him which they could not proue answeres for himselfe That he had neither offended any thing against the law of the Iewes Act. 24.14 15. nor against the Temple nor against Caesar onely he sought Christ Iesus in whom all those things which the Iewes called heresie were accomplisht and the vse of them no more of necessity but were then become all indifferent Ver. 18.19.20 I say shew mee one that euer did suffer for those or the like things that you our Reformists or Separatists or Anabaptists doe now pretende That God by his Gospell and new Testament doth approue and we will then acknowledge ye haue the truth amongst you and doe suffer for righteousnesse Or else know this that you are they the Scripture speaketh of Makers of Sects fleshly hauing not the spirit and despise gouernement speaking euill of them that are in authority Luk. 19.8 separating your selues from others being puft vp knowing nothing doting about questions and strife of wordes whereof commeth enuy raylings strife and euill surmisings And are not those Luk. 20.21 that edifie themselues in the most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost and that keepe themselues in the loue of God looking for the mercies of the Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Mat. 5.11.12 1. Pet. 3.17 And if ye suffer for these things blessed are ye Neither thinke that if thou giuest ouer thy contentions about these differences of thine and fightings with shaddows that then thou must needs take thy pleasure in this world and shake handes with it and looke after preferments in the earth and promotions as others some doe Neither take me as if I iustifie those that haue turned their heat into coldnes nor yet those that can play with both hands because they will keepe their credite with those that are zealous and not lose that neither which they gape for whensoeuer it fals who are fedde till they are grosse with fat and yet gape for more These are the cunninger sort of subscribing Reformers who speake euill of that in priuate which they conform to in publicke who vnder pretence of preaching the Gospell for the good of others preach and preferments who reigne in their spirits and word more like Lords then many of those whose places and titles and honours they spight and speake against because it is not theirs Neither do I iustifie any that hauing authority more or lesse doe raigne as Lordes ouer Gods heritage that loue salutations and greetings delighting to be called Lords affecting greatly the Title Rabby sporting themselues with the afflictions of Iacob that tread the holy Citie Ierusalem vnder their feete as the Popes and Lords of Rome haue done and doe For as I condemne no one for his greatnesse of place or Titles or power and authority whomsoeuer so no more doe I iustifie the euill workes of any but know and am assured that whosoeuer he be that doth loue the wages of Balam and doth post after Balakes preferment as Balam did is no better then hee And also whosoeuer doth the workes of the Pharisees and Scribes and of their generation the sonnes of the whore of Babylon shall be found as indeede they are the very of-spring of those Scribes and Pharisees and the children of that whore their moher though they disclaime her neuer so much and therfore thogh they come like sheep prophecying in the name of Christ preaching oftentimes his word and truth as Balam did and like those whom our Sauior speaketh of yet we must beware of them as of false Prophets And we shall know them hardly by their cloathing which is their preaching and doctrines for therein they can and doe oftentimes imitate the Sheepe But by their fruits saith the Lord yee shall know them And therefore especially this I iustifie wish and desire that all that professe Christ and his Gospell and the administration thereof would take heede they resist not the power seeing it is the Ordinance of God and that they would not bee high minded but feare And also that they that haue authority and power and haue a great place as they professe Christ and his Diuine word and the ministration thereof that they would doe the workes of Christ in meekenesse and lowlines of heart louing the righteous