Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	according_a	church_n	word_n	5,622	5	4.1542	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57150	The peace of Jerusalem a sermon preached in the Parliament House, Jan. 9, 1656 : being a day of private humiliation kept by the members thereof / by Edward Reynolds.	Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676.	1659 (1659)	Wing R1271; ESTC R22215	20,052	40

reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from among his people Numb. 15.30 31. See Deut. 13.5 16. Now these punishments could not be dispensed but by those who did bear the Sword therefore they that bear the Sword have a care upon them to preserve the Church of God from destructive evils Secondly Princes are commanded to kisse the Son whereby is noted their Love Duty Care of him and his interests not to suffer any to dishonour him or to prophane his Worship Psal. 2.12 And for this purpose the Law was put into the hand of the King Deut. 17.18 not barely in order to his private conversation for so it was common to all but as a keeper and maintainer of it that he might cause others to keep it too Thirdly In conformity hereunto Godly Magistrates in the Scripture have from time to time been zealous to vindicate the Church of God from all subversive and dangerous corruptions and to command that all things should be done in the Church according to the direction of God in his Word Ioshuah commanded the Priests to take up the Ark and bear it before the people Iosh. 3.6 David took special order for bringing home the Ark 2 Sam. 6.2 In the first Book of the Chronicles in many Chapters we read of his singular care in setting in order the Worship of God And if it be said That he did this by special direction and inspiration from God It is true he did so But its probable that God would have singled out a King for that service if his purpose had been that Kings should have attended onely Civil Affairs But to shew that this care was not extraordinary to one Prince onely we read of others taking the same course We find Asa purging the Church from Strange Gods High-places Images and Groves and commanding the people to seek the Lord and to doe the Law and this was so far from unsetling the State that it is said The Kingdom was quiet before him 2 Chron. 14.2 5. And after upon the perswasion of the Prophet it is said he took courage to do the like Yea he put away his Mother from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a Grove and cut it down and stamped it and burnt it Chap. 11.8 16. and presently it follows there was no more war c. verse 19. and the very same Blessing followed the very same zeal in the reign of Iehoshaphat his Sonne He took away the High-places and commanded the people to be taught and the fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdoms that were round about Judah so that they made no war against him 2 Chron. 17.6 10. Hezekiah began his reign the first year and first moneth with reforming the Church and restoring Gods Worship 2 Chron. 29.3 11. and so continued to do Chap. 30.1 3.12.22.31.1 11.21 So Manasseth after his repentance 2 Chron. 33.15 16. Of Iosiah this testimony is given that like unto him there was no King before him nor after him 2 Reg. 23.25 and except only the unhappy action wherein he died there is nothing recorded of him but his care to purifie the Church of God 2 Chron. 34.35 The like holy care we find in Nehemiah for the House of God and the Officers thereof Nehem. 13 9-14.22 And in Zerubbabel to build the Temple Zach. 4.7 10. And we find when Idolatrous corruptions crept into the house of Michah and into the Tribe of Dan it is imputed to this because there was no King in Israel no Civil power to restrain men from doing every one what was good in his own eyes Iudg. 17.5 6.18 1. I know what will be said to all this that it belonged to the Church of the Iews onely whose Kings possibly were herein types of Christ but that now the people of Christ are a willing people and therefore not to be under any coercion Hereunto I answer First That what is written is written for our learning The examples of good Princes in the old Testament are recorded for the instruction and incouragement of Magistrates now Otherwise by this pretence we might cast off all the holy examples unto any good work which are given us in the Old Testament 2. Though Christs people be a willing people yet so far as they have flesh they are weak as well as willing Matth. 26.1 and being subject unto sinne they must needs be subject unto Government too for weresoever there is a body of men who are through sinful weakness subject to miscarriages there is a necessity of some Government and superinspection to prevent and to heal such miscarriages 3. Where there are the same Reasons of a practice the same practice ought to continue except we find abrogation and repeal But the same reasons remain still The Truth and Worship of God ought to be as dear to Magistrates now as then leaven and corruption creeps into the Church as well now as then God is as much dishonoured the Souls of men as much endangered Satan as busie an adversary now as then therefore the same means ought to be used now as then 3. There are Hypocrites and Hereticks in the Church as well as a willing people against whom we find severity used by Christ himself and his Apostles Christ made a scourge and drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Joh. 2.15 Peter pronounced a doelful sentence upon Ananjas and Sapphira Acts 5.4 5 9. These indeed were extraordinary acts but they teach us that an Evangelical Estate hath need as well of a Rod as of a spirit of meeknesse 1 Cor. 4.21 5. It is prophesied of the times of the Gospel that Kings should be nursing Fathers unto the Church Isa. 49.23 And of them the Apostle saith that they are for a terror unto evil doers and a praise to those that do well Rom. 13.3 4. which words are comprehensive respecting good and evil as well in the first Table as in the second Again the Apostle exhorteth that Prayers be made for Kings and all in Authority that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godlinesse and honesty that which is the end of our prayer is likewise the end of their power and government and if it be their duty to provide for quiet peace honesty it is also to provide for godlinesse too 1 Tim. 2.1 2. And accordingly we find the great l care of Constantine Theodosius Valentinian Iustinian and other Christian Emperours in making Edicts calling Councels inhibiting Heresies as we read in the Histories of their times 6. Whatever things are per se subversive and dangerous to the prosperity of States and Nations come under the proper cognizance of the civil Magistrate to prevent but Heresies Blasphemies Idolatries Impieties against God do as well endanger the prosperity of States as sinnes against the second Table 1. Because God is as much provoked by the one as the other and it is remarkable that the great sin mentioned in the