Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	bishop_n	call_v	presbyter_n	3,415	5	10.3134	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51839	XVIII sermons on the second chapter of the 2d Epistle to the Thessalonians containing the description, rise, growth, and fall of Antichrist : with divers cautions and arguments to establish Christians against the apostacy of the Church of Rome : very necessary for these times / by that late reverend and learned divine, Thomas Manton ...	Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677.	1679 (1679)	Wing M522; ESTC R7577	216,743	470

them who pretend to be Successors of Christ and his Apostles Now in the Pope and his Adherents you will see the ●ost odious pride set forth that ever the World was conscious unto without any Cloak and shame And all their business is to get power what designs they have for preferment in the World how studiously they have and do prosecute it they blush not to own openly before Angels or Men. This worldly Ambition to rise higher and higher is their design and Trade of Life As the Bishop of Rome at first from the chief Pastor of that City affected to be an Archbishop over the Suburbian Towns and Cities then a Patriarch over many Cities and because two opposed him in Italy a long time Ravenna and Milane he gets power over them and then he must be Oecumenial Bishop over all the World But Constantinople resisteth for a long time yea arrogate●h within the Empire the same Titles Who more earnest against it than Gregory whom they call the Great and more forward to charge the assuming of this Title as Antichristian But then when once they began by powerful means and many indirect courses to be owned as universal Bishop then inlarging their bo●nds not only over the Ecclesiastical Power but Civil and all Kings and Princes must stoop to them as well as Bishops So that here was the progress and gradation first from the Chief Presbyter a Bishop over many Presbyters in the same City then a Metropolitan over many Bishops in one Province then a Patriarch over many Provinces in one Diocess for i● the Roman Division there were seven Provinces in one Diocess then Universal Bishop in the whole World then the only Shepherd and Bishop and others but his Substitutes pretty steps of ambitious incroaching But yet exalting himself further challenging all power in Heaven and Earth And the like is practised by his followers at this day in the Church of Rome from private Priests they grow up into some Prelature as Arch-Deacons Deans then a Bishoprick then a better or richer then Archbishops Cardinals then Pope And the Devil is grown so impudent by the help of these Churchmen as that it is counted a great piece of spiritual wisdom publickly owned in the World to be able by these steps to get higher and higher and Lord it over God● Heritage as if ambitious affectation were the honour of Christianity and Gospel humility would expose the Church to scorn and pomp and grandeur were a greater Ornament to Religion than Gra●e when in the mean time they have nothing to prove them to be true Pastors of the Church but Iudas his Kiss a little owning of Christ to countenance their Ambition Secondly the particular instances wherein the pride of Antichrist is set forth are two 1. His exalting himself above all humane Powers He opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or is worshipped Here the object is set forth by two terms 1. All that is called God 2. Or worshipped They both belong to the same thing 1. That which is called God that is Magistrates Princes and Kings Psal. 81.1 He judgeth among the Gods and verse the sixth I have said ye are Gods all of you are Children of the most high and Joh 10.34 35. It is written in your Law I said ye are Gods If he call them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken c. God hath cloathed Magistrates with his own honour so far that he hath put his name upon them and their eminency is a part of his Image as it lyeth in Superiority Dominion and Power Though Magistrates be but like their Brethren as to their common nature yet in respect of their Office they have the glorious Title of Gods conferred upon them as being his Vicegerents and bearing his person in Government they are honoured with his name So that without impeachment of Blasphemy those that excel in the Civil power may be called Gods Now over these Antichrist exalteth himself that is above all Kings and Potentates Secondly The other notion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we render it or is worshipped the Greek word is whatever is held in the highest degree of reverence whatever is August or Illustrious as the Emperours of Rome were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 25.21 Paul appealed to be referred to the hearing of Augustus it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Augustus Caesar who was then dead but his successour Well then here is the Character of Antichrist That he exalteth himself above all Civil Authority Auth●●●ed and permitted of God not only above ordinary Magistrates but Kings and Emperours Now we find in History no less than twenty Kings and Emperours trampled under foot by the Pope of Rome some of whom he had excommunicated and deposed from their Kingdoms and their people dispensed withal in denial of their subjection to them others brought to cruel shameful Deaths and their Kingdoms miserably rent and torn to the destruction of Millions of men by their means He that hath any knowledge of the Histories in Christendom cannot but know these things how he treadeth on their necks kicketh off their Crowns with his Feet and hath brought them to the vilest submissions And if Kings and Emperours have received more spirit and courage and the Popes of Rome learned more modesty now adays thanks is due to the light of the Gospel which hath shined so far and to such a degree as to the consuming of Antichrist though not to his utter destruction Secondly The next instance of his pride is his usurpation of divine honour expressed in two clauses 1. The one sheweth the usurpation it self That he as God sitteth in the Temple of God 2. The other the degree of it shewing himself as God Both must be explained and vindicated 1. For t●● usurpation it self he sitteth as God in the Temple of God By the Temple of God is meant the Church 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and the spirit of God dwelleth in you if any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are So 2 Cor. 6.16 What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God The external visible Church which professeth the Faith of Christ and beareth his name So that the place wherein Antichrist shall arise is the visible Christian Church not Rome Ethnick but Christian. But is then the Church of Rome the Church of Christ Answ. It was one part of it before it was perverted it usurpeth still that name it retaineth some relique of a Church mangled as it is saith Calvin in his Epistles I think I have given some strong reasons that it yet retaineth some shew of a Church Now in this Temple of God he sitteth as an Officer and Bishop there as I before explained it And whereas other Princes are said to