Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	church_n	commit_v	key_n	3,050	5	10.0985	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90894	Christ exalted above all creatures by God his Father or A sermon preached before the Right Honourable, the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England. (At their solemne fast, observed the last day of the last month called February 1649.) By Vavasor Povvell.	Powell, Vavasor, 1617-1670.	1651 (1651)	Wing P3081; Thomason E1332_4; ESTC R209110	26,418	99

and those he deceived But so much for the exaltation of Christ as Mediator Fifthly Jesus Christ is exalted in his Generation above all others for who saith the Prophet shall declare his Generation That is though Christ be killed yet who shall or can be able to tell the number of his Progeny and Posterity and the Branches that shall grow out of this Stem and Root Note that there is a double Generation belonging to Christ and a double booke wherein this two-fold Geneneration is recorded 1 His naturall Generation shewing from whom he came according to the flesh This Matthew calls Mat. 1.1 The Booke of the Generation of Jesus Christ c. According to his Fleshly Generation he was of the Bloud Royall and next to the Crowne if he had claimed it as some conceive and why should Herod command him whilst he was but yet a Childe to be killed but that he feared he that was next Heire would have put him besides the Crowne 2 His Spirituall Generation or his Off-springe who are his blessed Seed called 1 Per. 2.61 Rev 13 8. 21.27 A royall Generation a Generation of Kings Princes and Priests whose names are written in the Lambs book of life Sixtly and lastly Jesus Christ is exalted above all in Dominion and Government and of this his Dominion Government and Kingdome the Scriptures doe amply testifie and clearly speake Esa 6.9 22.21 For as Ioseph who was a Type of him was Governour in all the Land of Aegypt so Christ governes all the Nations of the earth Psal 105.22 Psal 67.4 22.28 And as God sent Ioseph into Aegypt to teach the Princes of Aegypt so hath God sent his Sonne Jesus into the world to teach and rule the Princes of the earth Be wise therefore ye Princes and obedient to him ye Iudges of the earth You may more particularly consider this Kingdome of Christ as being divided into three parts A Coelestiall A Spirituall and A Terrestriall 1 For the Coelestiall or heavenly part I desire you to turne to two speciall places which speake thereof 2 Tim. 4.18 Luk. 22.16 many more I might name but I intend not to insist upon that part yet be not unmindfull that there is a Crowne and a Kingdome prepared for those that love Christ Jam. 1.12 2.5 and that waite for his appearance 2 For the Spirituall part of his Kingdome which concerns us to know here observe these soure things 1 The word of the Kingdome which is sometimes called the Gospel Mar. 4.23 Mat. 13.11 and sometimes the Mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven the Gospel is the Law by which Christ doth rule and governe the Subjects of his Kingdome 2 There be the Keepers of the Kingdome which is Skil Mat. 16.19 and power to open the Gospel and to open and shut the doore of the Church of Christ according to his will the keyes that were committed to Peter was nothing else I suppose but a Cal and power as the first Minister to preach the Gospel unto the Gentiles 3 There be the Subjects of this Kingdome Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.7 Act 11.26 and those are called in the New Testament Beleevers Saints Christians the redeemed and called of God 1 Cor. 1.24 Rom. 16.16 or Churches of Saints all which words imply that they must be in Christ and have grace who are members and subjects of this Kingdome and not all the riffe-raffe as we speake of the world 4 There be Officers belonging to this spirituall part of the Kingdome which the King of Glory hath left and appointed as Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors Teachers and the like Ephes 4.11 5 And lastly there is the seate of this spirituall Kingdome the subjects of this Kingdome are seated and placed in the heart of their Soveraigne and Saviour Jesus Christ Cant. 8.6 As Paul said of the Philippians Phil. 1.7 that he had them in his heart so may Christ say much more of his Members that he hath them in his heart and that he hath borne them from Eternity This Kingdome especially the Word of it is also seated in the hearts of Beleevers as Christ said The Kingdome of God is within you Luk. 17.21 So the Apostle saith The Kingdome of God was in the Romans in righteousnesse peace Rom. 14.17 and joy of the Holy Ghost Thus having ended the second part of Christs Kingdome I now come to the last part which is Christ reigning on Earth and over the World there are severall things disputable herein as 1 Whether Christ shall come and reigne in his owne Person and humane Nature upon the earth and 2 If he doth reigne who shall reigne with him whether all the Saints or whether those only that suffered under Antichrist or whether the people of the Iewes only But in regard these questions are controverted we 'l come to those things which are without controversie concerning this point and they are four 1 That Iesus Christ hath a right to all the Kingdoms of the world as it is said in the 1 Cor. 10 chapter The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof and in Psal 72.8 He shall have dominion from sea to sea c. One speciall place besides that I conceive is applicable to Christ it is in the 21. of Ezekiel 27. verse I will overturne overturne overturne it and it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is and I will give it him Here are three overturnings answerable to the three parts of the City in the Revelation and all these overturnings are to bring Christ the right Heire to his possession 2 The Lord hath power to dispose of the Kingdomes of the earth to whomsoever he pleaseth as it is said in the 4th of Daniel the 17. vers That the most high is in the Kingdome of men and he giveth it to whomsoever he will So in the fifth of Daniel 21. and in Psal 75.7 God is the Iudge he putteth down one and setteth up another And who can or dare say to the Lord What dost thou 3 Jesus Christ accounts no men so worthy and so fit to rule his Kingdome under him as his Saints therefore he makes promise thereof to them And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven Dan. 7.27 shall be given unto the Saints of the most high c. and know you not saith the Apostle Paul that the Saints shall judge the world And Christ said unto his Apostles though poore Fishermen Ye shall sit upon twelve Thrones i Cor. 6. i 2 judging the twelve Tribes of Israel You know among men if a man be exalted to Honour Office or place he will preferre his owne friends and Servants especially if they be fit men and can manage those places even so doth Christ who findes places for his people and fits them for those places and indeed none are so fit to manage any worke as the Saints for they

and graces and above all earthly spirituall excellencies and glory 22. verse He i. e. God hath put all things under his i. e. Christ his feet So in the 1 Cor. 15.28 you have the same words Thus much in answer to the first question 2. Quest Wherein is Christ exalted above all Creatures Answ First Doubtlesse in all things he hath the preheminence but more particularly in regard of his Divine Nature I may I hope safely thus expresse although it is true that the Divine Nature doth not properly admit of degrees yet neverthelesse the Divine Nature of Christ to speake with reverence was much vailed clouded As a peece of Gold covered with earth or the Sun darkned by a cloud or a candle hid under a bushel and ecclipsed by his humain Nature that few did account him God till after his Resurrection by which he was (f) Rom. 1.4 declared to be the Sonne of God with power And so much our Saviours owne words in the seventeenth of John vers 5. imply Obj. But you will say The Divine Nature was never humbled therefore it was still exalted alike Answ It is true the Godhead of Christ did not nor could not suffer nor be humbled yet he that was God suffered as those words in Acts 20.28 import But note this when I say Christ was exalted above all in respect of his Divine Nature I meane that none had that fulnesse and measure of Divinity or the Divine Nature as Christ had Secondly Jesus Christ was exalted in his humane Nature above all Creatures 1 In that Christs humane Nature was created and begotten in a supernaturall way even by the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost Luke 1.35 or as David speakes in his person Psal 139.140 Wonderfully was I made 2 He was exalted in his humane Nature above all others in regard his humane Nature was without sinne as the Apostle speakes (g) 1 Pet. 2.22 He did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth 3 Jesus Christ his humane Nature or his Body saw no corruption Act. 2.27 Though he was in the Grave yet the Grave could neither putrifie him nor prevaile to keep him within it 4 The humane Nature of Christ is exalted above all in respect of place to wit upon the right hand of God as I have shewed before Obj. Is Christs humane nature or the very body that he had on earth now in heaven Answ Yes sure he that (h) Eph. 4.8 descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens and the same Jesus which rose from the dead and that appeared to his Disciples after his Resurrection was (i) Act 1.8,9 taken up before them into heaven and that same Jesus will hereafter in that very person and nature (k) Jud. v. 14. Rev. 1.7 come from heaven Fiftly and lastly Christ is exhalted in his humain nature above all because in that nature he will judge the world according to the saying of the Apostle He wil judge the world in righteousnesse by that man i.e. Christ whom he hath ordained this is the second way wherein Christ is exalted above all creatures Thirdly Jesus Christ was exalted in his name above al creatures as the Apostle speaks God his father hath given him a name Phil. 2.9 above all other names that at the name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow Now whether by name be understood the Power Majesty and Authority of Christ or those names by which he is called in the Scripture as Jehovah and Immanuel yet this is most true that there is not attributed to any creature what is attributed to him in respect of his name Object But you will say is not the Church called Jehovah she shal be called Jehovah-tzidkenu the Lord our Righteousnesse Ier. 33.16 Answ It s true that with relation to Christ she is called Jehovah as in Ezek. 48.35 Jehovah-shammah the Lord is there Yet that Text in Jeremiah is not rightly translated For it is in the Hebrew Jer. 33.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He the Lord Jehovah that is our Righteous one or Righteousnesse shall call her that is the Church should be called by Christ her Righteousnesse And though many bee called Gods in the Scripture as the Apostle speakes yet no one is called Immanuel but Christ onely Esa 7.14 Mat. 1.23 Fourthly Jesus Christ was exalted above all creatures in his Office as he was Mediator For there was and is but one Mediator between God and Man the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.6 T is true there were other typicall Mediatours as Moses c. but no true and reall Mediator save Jesus Christ In Christs Mediatourship consider 1 That none was fit to be a Mediator or Saviour but he for all creatures had need of a Mediatour and Saviour and therefore could not bee their owne Mediatours and Saviours 2 None could or can forgive sins but he for he only is exalted to give repentance and forgivenesse of sinnes Act. 5.31 Object But had not the Apostles of Christ and have not the Ministers of the Gospell power to forgive sins For Christ saith whatsoever sinnes ye forgive shal be forgiven c. Joh. 20.23 Answ The Apostles and Ministers had and have power to forgive sins but then it is declaratively upon their beleeving in Christ and no other wayes For as the Jewes said who can forgive sins but God 3 None can give Lawes to the Church but Christ alone and therefore he is called the (a) Esa 33.22 Jam. 4.12 Law-giver and (b) Ephes 4.15 5.23 Col. 1.18 head of the Church Note this that no person or persons Civil or Ecclesiasticall were ever called Head or Heads of the Church but Christ It is true the Magistrates are sometimes called the Heads of the People but not of the Church but under the Law Ecclesiasticall persons were not so much as called Heads of the people nay none of the Tribe of Levi were ever chosen or called Heads how much then doe men in our dayes imagine and assume power to themselves over Christs Church more then is given them by Christ so that they thinke they may enjoyne and impose what Laws they please upon Christs Church and people But let such looke to themselves 4 None can discerne and know the thoughts of the Children of men but Christ for he only is the (c) Heb. 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Discerner Tryer and knower of the thoughts and imaginations of men and he whose (d) Rev. 1.14 eyes are as a flame of fire sees through and through the hearts reines and inward parts of men 5 None have power (e) See Gen. 18.25 2 Tim. 4.8 Jam. 4.9 to Judge men for ever but Christ the Pope pretends he can send some to Heaven some to Hel and some between both yet a day will come when hee poore man or rather beast must and shall have a sentence past upon his owne soule and then where is he