Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	rule_n	scripture_n	9,252	5	6.8584	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33931	The decision & clearing of the great point now in controversie about the interest of Christ and the civill magistrate in the rule of government in this world stated according to the word of truth and presented to the Parliament of this Common-wealth and to all other powers in the world where it may come, or to any that desire satisfaction in this matter / written by T. Collier.	Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.	1659 (1659)	Wing C5276; ESTC R29644	12,984	20

Power to rule over men i. e. To rule over the Bodies and Estates of men for good and no other And 2. That which he hath reserved to himself lieth especially in these four things 1. The Power of a secret and invisible ordering and disposing of all Governments to carry on and bring about his own design for his own glory and his Churches good Hence he is said to be Head over all things to the Church 2. He hath reserved the Povver of pulling down and setting up of whom he will Dan. 4. 17. Hence it is that he maketh changes in the Worldly Governments to the end they might know that the Lord doth rule and that they do rule by him and should rule for him 3. He hath reserved to himself the Power of calling all Magistrates to account at the great day of Account in which they must be judged according to their discharge of that Authority and Trust committed to them and reposed in them These I suppose every one that hath any awe or fear of God will acknowlege But 4ly Christ hath reserved all spiritual causes relating to matters of Faith and Worship to himself and hath betrusted no Civil Magistrate or Power in Earth vvith this the proving of vvhich will prove the first Assertion i. e. That the Trust committed to Magistrates is over the Bodies and Estates of men and no otherwise Therefore to prove it I shall present several convincing grounds 1. There is no New-Testament Scripture presents us with the Lords giving up of Authority to Worldly Magistrates in matters Ecclesiastical i. e. Things in and relating to matters of Worship that clearly relate to conscience if so Hence I reason That Authority which Christ hath no where given to Magistrates he hath reserved to himself but this of ruling of and over the conscience is to where committed by Christ to man i. e. to Civil Magistrates therefore he hath reserved it to himself Q. May we not suppose that the Scripture intends Spiritual ●●d Ecclesiastical Concernments as well as Civil when it saith ●●a● we should be subject to every Ordinance of man for the 〈◊〉 sak● c. A. It is without question to be understood in civil things ●nely there being no Magistrates then but such as were either Jews or Heathens if subjection in Divine things had ●●ep intended the Apostle in that saying and in all others ●●at calls for subjecting to Magistrates must necessarily ●●ve taught them either to be Jews or Heathens in point of Worship for the Command of the Jewish Magistrates would be to the Old Testament-Ceremonies and of the Gentiles to their Idoll Temples if to any thing in Worship so that it 's questionless That it was in civil things that subjection is required 2. Ground In that Christs Kingdom is not of this world i. e. of the Worldly Government that he hath committed to men then certainly it must be some where i. e. in the consciences of his People there is Christs reign and doubtless to deny this i. e. The Rule of Christ by his Word and Spirit in the hearts of his people and over them in matters of Worship is a tenet very near of kin to Atheism 3. In that he hath left in Scripture clear and absolute Rules for his people to walk by in point of Faith Worship unto which it is their duty to take heed until his second coming Matth. 28. 18 19. John 14. 15. chap. 15. 14. From whence I reason thus That if Christ hath left Commands and Rules to his People as to matters of Faith and Practice then he hath reserved Authority from the Magistrate in this matter But that he hath left Commands and Rules to his people in this matter is clear in which it is their duty to obey him therefore he hath not committed this Authority to the Magistrate for the Magistrate may and that probably too contradict Christs Commands therefore Christ hath prevented that extremity in reserving to himself Authority and Rule in Divine things Hence it is that when Christs Law and the Magistrates Will hath come in Competition the Answer is stated for us Acts 5. 39. Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then God judge ye 4. This truth appears in that Jesus Christ will judge his people in the day of Account according to his Word that being the Rule by which they are to walk and by which it is they must be judged John 12. 48. And in the keeping therof there shall be great reward Psal 19. 11. Rev. 22. 14. Therefore he hath not committed this Authority to Magistrates lest they should turn them aside from the righteous Rule And indeed it seems to me to be ridiculous and unreasonable for any one to suppose that the Lord hath given up his people to the Wills of men in matters of Worship and yet will judge them for not walking according to his Will in his Word this were indeed to make him a hard Master and to lay impossibility upon his people 5. As we do not find that Christ hath any where resigned his Authority to the Magistrate so neither do we find at any time or in any case the Lord to direct his people to the Magistrate for counsel or advice in determining Divine things but the contrary i. e. to the Scripture Isay 8. 20. Job 5. 39. 2 ●im 3. 15. to his Ministers with the church A●● 15 6. If Authority in Divine things were committed to the Magistrate it must be necessary to know to what Magistrate it is committed whether to all Magistrates in all Nations alike if so then these two impieties will follow 1. That the Lord hath subjected his word and will to the Judgements of Heathen and profane Magistrates Or 2ly his people to their wills in point of VVorship Or 2ly If it be to some Magistrates and not to all i. e. to Christian Magistrates then the doubt will be to whom of them it is there being many supposing themselves to be Christian Magistrates and all think themselves to be in the truth and most of them think themselves concerned to make provision for VVorship and to exercise their Power in these things and indeed the Lord having committed no such thing to any Magistrate there is as much ground for one to claim it as the other The Papist supposes all truth to be there and persecutes the Protestant under the notion of Hereticks The Protestant supposes the Papist to be out and himself to be in the right and persecutes the Papist and thus this very principle throws the World into confusion every one that can get into Power is ready to make or at least to think himself an absolute god in and over all causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil and doubtless it concerns that Magistrate that is most enlightened in Divine Truth to be first in rejecting and renouncing this authority in Divine things for doubtless the most enlightened and reformed