Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	key_n	open_v	shut_v	4,285	5	9.4567	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64335	The reason of episcopall inspection asserted in a sermon at a visitation in Cambridge by John Templer ...	Templer, John, d. 1693.	1676 (1676)	Wing T665; ESTC R18565	44,463	68

stiled a family will justifie the congruity of this example The supream Rector hath moulded the Universe into Communities and constituted the civil Magistrate to be their Guardian Into these Communities he hath let down from Heaven the New Jerusalem namely a Church or Ecclesiasticall Society with Governours and Laws not onely harm less and inoffensive but singularly advantageous to the purposes of the civil Constitution And because it is not impossible but that the Rulers may degenerate from the true meaning of their Originall and under a pretence of a Supernall commission undermine the interest of the civil Community the Magistrate is impowered to see that they keep within their own bounds and if they swell above their banks to remand them into their proper channel if they do not to protect and defend them against the hand of violence This makes it evident how the Church may be subordinate to the secular Power and yet have a Government grounded upon a Divine right It is the Divine pleasure that Princes within their own Territories should be so far concerned in all causes and over all persons as to see that nothing be done to the prejudice of the Community they are set over From hence doth emerge their right to inhibit limit and regulate the execution Though Christ is the immediate Fountain of the Power yet they have a commanding influence upon the streams which flow from it Though they may not invade the Offices which are peculiar to the Church yet they are obliged to see that they are duly performed by those to whom they appertain Though they have not the Power of the Keys yet in case those which have make use of them to open a door to Sedition and Disorder they have the Power of the Sword to shut it and prevent the mischief If the Church keep within her due bounds and the supream Magistrate be of opinion that she doth not and from hence a contest is commenced she hath no other weapon to defend her self but Prayer and a composed Submission to what the preservation of a good conscience may expose her All this is very far from erecting imperium in imperio it hath nothing in it of a malevolent aspect upon the Supremacy of Princes All pretended inconveniences fall with an equall weight upon paternall Government which undoubtedly being in nature and time antecedent to the civil Constitution must have a Divine originall And now whosoever pleases to look back and consider the reason of the thing the declaration of God the practice of the Universall Church which is no bad commentary upon what is dubious in any Divine appointment will be under no temptation from any rationall inducement to believe that the Apostolicall authority to govern was adapted onely to the Primitive times and not intended to continue in all Ages So much of the Remedy in generall namely an Apostolicall or Episcopall Authority expressed in visiting the Brethren In the next place I will enumerate some particular acts of this Power which are of eminent use in all Ages for the preventing and healing distempers 1. An Inspection into the Authority of those who preach 2. The Doctrine 3. The lives 4. The giving rules for the preserving of Order 5. The censuring those who neglect the Order which is agreed upon 1. An Inspection into the Authority of those who preach The work of the Ministry is of greater importance than to lie open to every one who by the strength of his fancy can perswade himself that he is fit to discharge it The peace of the Church depends upon the Practice of those who are members of it their practice upon their judgement their judgement upon the Doctrine of their Teachers These have the Helm in their hand whereby the body of the People is easily moved the Key of Knowledge whereby they are in the nearest capacity to open the intellect and let in or shut out Principles which tend to Unity The Community would not enjoy the least degree of security might the private opinion of every Person concerning his own Aptitude give him a title to this Office Men are not competent Judges of their own abilities The Generality are very partiall when they take an estimate of their intellectuall Powers Every place is filled with complaints of the want of Riches and Honour but we seldom meet with any querulous resentments of the defects of Reason and Understanding Indeed S. Paul said who is sufficient for these things but we are apt to say who is not The stream runs the fastest where the channel is most shallow Those are most forward who have the least acquaintance with the depth of Knowledge The few exceptions from the generall Rule which are duly prepared are so much under the command of humility that they judge themselves unworthy The burden of fruit which grows upon these branches bends them into too low and despondent thoughts of themselves Socr. Hist l. 4. c. 18. When Ammonius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is stiled by Socrates was acquainted with a resolution in others to compell him to take upon him the most Sacred office in the Church he cut off his right ear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the deformity of his body might be a bar to his Consecration Socr. Hist l. 7. c. 12. Chrysanthus a person eminent for wisdom and sobriety when he was solicited to take upon him the same Function was so much under the power of modesty that he fled from Constantinople into Bythinia where he concealed himself with a design to decline it By reason of this unfitness in Men to judge for themselves and to be the fountain of their own Authority God hath endued the Governours of his Church with a power as to Ordain so to examine every mans pretence that the Community may receive no damage 2. The Doctrine Those who have a good commission may exceed the bounds of it and in stead of feeding their Flock in wholsom Pastures lead them into Boggs where they will inevitably sink into an eternall Perdition Error is damnable as well as vice All the difference is this is the more open rode that the more concealed and private way to Hell T it 3.11 The Apostle saies that he which is engaged in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is overturned as a ship when the Keil is uppermost As the man of sin who sits in the Temple of God and under a pretence of Religion vents that which tends to the overthrow of it 2 Thess 2.3 is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the son of perdition so error which enthrones it self in the conscience and sits there with a pretence of a descent from Heaven 2 Pet. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no perdition more certain and less apt to meet with disappointment then that which is secured from a disclosure by so plausible a cover as Religion and Divine approbation Errour puts the highest of affronts upon the Divine Majesty He