Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	call_v	king_n	kingdom_n	2,557	5	5.7928	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04400	A discouery of the errors of the English Anabaptists As also an admonition to all such as are led by the like spirit of error. Wherein is set downe all their seuerall and maine points of error, which they hold. With a full answer to euery one of them seuerally, wherein the truth is manifested. By Edmond Iessop who sometime walked in the said errors with them.	Etherington, John, fl. 1641-1645.; Jessop, Edmond, attributed name.	1623 (1623)	STC 14520; ESTC S107746	83,433	114

and meeknesse whatsoeuer they shall inflict vpon them for they are here called to suffer And that there will come a day in which all Kings Princes and powers must lay downe their Crownes and Scepters at the feet of Christ and resigne all their power and authoritie to him the King of kings and Lord of Lords whose right all the kingdomes of this world are and that all powers and principalities peoples and nations shall serue and obey him the most high Lord and King of all for euer and euer the Scriptures do euidently and often declare so often as would be too long for me now to recite onely some few I will mention for proofe thereof The Prophet Daniel hauing described the foure great Monarchs which were to reigne in the earth ouer the inhabitants thereof frō that time to the end of the world and hauing also foreseene the end and destruction of them saith I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heauen and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neare before him and there was giuen him dominion and glorie and a kingdome that all people nations and languages should serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed This doth he further explane in the 27 verse of this Chapter saying And the kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serue obey him As also in the interpretation of the dreame of Nebucadnezzar the first of the f●…ure Monarchs after he had described the last he saith And in the dayes of these kings shall the God of heauen set vp a kingdome which shall neuer be destroyed and the kingdome shall not be left for other people but it shall breake in peeces and consume all these kingdomes and it shall stand for euer And againe speaking of the reigne of the same Monarch he saith But the Saints of the most High shall take the kingdom and possesse the kingdom euen for euer and euer By all which the Prophet sheweth plainly that the Stone which was cut out of the mountaine without hands Christ which was to come of the house of Dauid should by the power of the most high through the word which was to proceed out of his mouth breake in peeces consume destroy all those Monarchs which were to reigne in the world and that he the Lord owner of all should possesse the kingdome and reigne on the earth for euer and euer world without end And that the Saints of the most High not the carnall Iewes yet remaining as some imagine but all his redeemed from the beginning of the world to the end shall possesse the kingdome and reigne with him not in a carnall earthly maner but in a heauenly estate of glorie not for a time but for euer euer beyond all time and that then from thenceforth all powers and dominions people and nations whatsoeuer shall serue and obey him This in briefe is that which the Prophet intendeth which also the rest of the holy Prophets foresaw and foretold of as Saint Peter testifieth saying And he shall send Iesus Christ which before was preached vnto you whom the heauens must receiue vntill the time of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began meaning this great restitution which is to be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heauen when the seuenth Angell shall sound the last Trump as Saint Iohn witnesseth saying And the seuenth Angell sounded and there were great voices in heauen saying The kingdomes of this world are becom the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for euer euer And that this shall not be till the great Trump shal sound mentioned by Esaias the Prophet by Christ in the Gospell by Saint Paul to the Corinthians Thesfalonians by Saint Iohn in the Reuelation till Christ shall come in the clouds of heauen and that euery eye shall see him euen they that pierced him and that all the kindreds of the earth shall mourne and waile before him is manifest I say by all those seuerall Scriptures as also by the testimonie of the holy Author to the Hebrewes where he saith For vnto the Angels hath he not put in subiection the world to come whereof we speake but one in a certaine place testified saying What is man that thou art mindfull of him or the son of man that thou visitest him thou crownedst him with glorie honour and didst set him ouer the workes of thy hands thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete c. In which place the Apostle sheweth cleerly that it is the world to come in which all powers and things shall be actually and visibly seene to be vnder his feet and all the kingdoms of this world shall be the Fathers and his then I say in that world not in this as Christ saith My kingdom is not of this world then when the last enemy is destroyed when this world shall be made another world according to his promise then shall all powers and principalities all people and nations serue and obey him he will no longer be dishonored by them they shall not vse their tongues and powers then as they list and as they had wont to do but all tongues shall confesse and euery knee shall bow to him they that in their life times would not be brought by the faire meanes of his Gospel to serue obey him shall be brought to do it after death by paine yea Satan himselfe the author of wickednesse who neuer intended to giue praise and honour to God or to Christ euen he with all his angels and spirits of wickednesse vnder their torments and by force of the rod of iron which Christ the King of the whole earth shall exercise ouer them in that world shall be compelled with all powers people and kings whatsoeuer to confesse and bow before him serue and obey him praise and magnifie him his iustice and mercie for euer For if at the name of Iesus euery knee shall bow both of things in heauen and things in earth things vnder the earth and that all tongues shall confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father as the Apostle speaketh then doubtlesse Satan and his followers are not exempted yet euermore vnder torments as we haue said If Satan and his Angels or any of the cursed children of men which shall be condemned and tormented for euer with them should after iudgement raile against God and blaspheme him as some do teach they shall or

thereof the diuell being the cheife Author for there is nothing that he doth enuie more then the power of truth and godlines if he cannot worke all men asleepe by cold carnall security as he doth the most he will if it be possible deceiue the rest by some pretended strict way of truth for his aime is to deceiue all he spareth none O that the watchmen therefore would lay these things to heart and examine themselues by the examples of the holy Apostles and rules which they haue set downe to proue them by What will it auaile you in the day of accompt that ye haue bin called the Ministers of God the Shepheards of his flocke when ye haue not done the office of faithfull Ministers and Sheepheards to his flock what will your pleasure your profit your praise and estimation of men in that day doe ye good Ah deare Sirs take heed it concerneth your selues much as it doth the people also To be called the Ministers of God is a high and honorable title but a thousand times more honor it is to be a faithfull Minister of God in deed and in truth what though you be not esteemed of the world nay what if ye be despised and hated thereof what though you should be destitude and afflicted and vndergoe hunger thirst cold labours watchings weepings perills prisonments sword c. Christ saith I was an hungry I was athirst I was naked sicke in prison c he meaneth you if ye be his seruants if ye partake not with him in his sufferings how can ye looke to reigne with him if ye follow him not in the regeneration ye shall not sit on throanes with him What will these words of the Lord auaile or concerne you where he saith And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shal be no more death nor sorrow neither shall there be any more paine If ye neuer knew what any of these things meant it is better to sow here in teares that we may hereafter reape with ioy then to laugh here and weepe for euer Let not therefore I humble beseech you the feare of the losse and fauour of friends of your pleasures profits praise or estimation with men or whatsoeuer this world can afford keepe you from following the Lord in whom there is great reward oh happy is the soule that can forsake all these things for the loue of Christ and his Gospells sake for he shall receiue an hundred fould more such treasures as cannot be vttered euen here in this present time and in the world to come life euerlasting feare not if ye can cast your care on him certainly he will not see you left destitute Neuer shall any man know what the treasures of wisdome and riches of his grace in the Gospell are except he can preferre them in his heart aboue all carnall things whatsoeuer nay except he can truly forsake them all and himselfe also for loue thereof neither will God else euer take pleasure in him or impart vnto him his secrets let him be how skilfull how learned how esteemed of men soeuer But he that can like the Merchant sell all he hath and purchase the field wherein the true treasure lieth he shall not onely be rich himselfe but be able to make others rich thereby according also as Christ saith Whoseeuer beleeueth in me as the Scriptures hath said out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life He shall not onely himselfe being entred in by the doore go in and out and finde pasture but shall guide others also in by the same doore to the same pastures of life and so hauing turned many to righteousnes by the faithfull administration of the word of truth shall possesse peace comfort and a good conscience here and when the Lord shall come in his glory to reward euery one according as his works and labours haue beene he shall shine not onely like the brightnes of the firmament as euery wise holy Christian shall doe but as the starres for euer and euer as the Prophet Daniel testifieth saying And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes as the starres for euer and euer An eight point held at this present by the antient Anabaptists That a King or Maiestrate cannot be a true Christian except he giue ouer his kingly office or Maiestracie Answer THis although it be not fully the opinion of these our English Anabaptists yet because it is a point so generally held among the other sects of them and for that these with others are not yet rightly informed as touching the authoritie of kings gouernours what it is how far it doth extend nor yet how far forth Christians are bound to obey and submit vnto them we will therefore first disproue that error of the elder Anabaptists then shew what the authoritie of kings and gouernours is how far it doth extend and how farforth euery true Christian is bound by the word of God as he is a subiect or Citizen to obey and submit vnto them and then that all kingdomes peoples powers and authorities whatsoeuer shall serue and obey the King of Kings Lord of Lords for euermore They that haue serued and obeyed him according to his Gospell here in this life shall serue honor and praise him freely and with ioy for euer hereafter and they that would not by the voice of the Gospell be brought to serue and obey him here in this life shall be made by force of torments to serue and obey him for euer in the world to come this will we briefely doe if God permit That kings and rulers gouernours and magistrates may be true Christians and retaine their kingly places rule authoritie and magistracie is euident by the examples of Dauid of Solomon and others who were true Christians by faith according to the promise in the Spirit though Christ was not yet come in the flesh they liued and dyed kings of this world and true Christians also and the case is not now altered by the comming of Christ in the flesh the Gospell hath not made any alteration in that respect but doth rather confirme it where Christ saith vnto his disciples who striued among themselues which of them should be the greatest Luk. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. a place which these Anabaptists do chiefly alledge for their purpose The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship ouer them and they that exercise authoritie vpon thē are called gracious Lords but ye shall not be so but he that is greatest among you let him be as the least and he that is chiefe as he that doth serue He doth not here forbid a Christian to be an earthly or temporall King nor such a King to be a Christian nay his words do allow both only he forbiddeth that Christians should aspire in their minds or seeke to be great or to rule ouer one another as they are Christians children of

one God and Father and seruants of one Lord Iesus Christ And that if any of them be great Kings Rulers in the world they should not exercise authoritie ouer their brethren as do the Kings of the Gentiles or as now the Lords of Rome do as if they were Lords ouer Gods heritage nay but though they be Kings and as touching their temporall state and dominion doe and may lawfully reigne and rule ouer all and are chiefe and head of all persons as well Ecclesiasticall as ciuill true Christians as others considered also as they are subiects or citizens yet as Kings are Christians and as their subiects are Christians and of the same bodie of Christ with them they may not take Lordship vpon them nor exercise dominion ouer them neither ought they in that respect to yeeld it vnto them because that title of honour and dominion spirituall doth belong to their Lord and Master Iesus Christ onely and therefore he saith Call no man Lord on earth for one is your Lord call no man Master for one is your Master as Saint Paul likewise saith For although there be on earth many that be called Gods and Lords as there be many Gods and many Lords yet vnto vs there is but one God euen the Father of all and one Lord Iesus Christ c. Christ is the Lord the Prince and head of Christians as they are Christians but the King is the Lord and Prince and head of Christians as they are citizens or subiects So that these words of Christ But he that is greatest among you let him be as the least and him that is chiefest as him that serueth haue this meaning That that Christian which is the greatest of Christians in regard of his temporall honour and dignitie of place in this world should be in heart and affection yea and in outward actions of loue meeknesse and humilitie I say as he is a true Christian euen as the least true Christian and he that is chiefest in any externall office or place should as he is a Christian be euen as that true Christian whose place is to serue I say in mercie humilitie charitable actions c. Now that Kings and Rulers haue lawfull authoritie from God ouer all persons and that all ought to be obedient vnto them and their lawes Saint Paul declareth at large saying Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues damnation for rulers are not a terror to good works but to the euill wilt thou not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt hane praise of the same for he is the minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is euill be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the minister of God a reuenger to execute wrath vpon him that doth euill Wherefore ye must needs be subiect not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake For for this cause pay you tribute also for they are Gods ministers attending vpon this very thing Render therefore saith he to all their due tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custom feare to whom feare honour to whom honour c. By all which I say it is euident that the power and authoritie of Kings is of God and ordained by him yea though they be infidels and that it doth extend ouer all as wel true Christians as others Ecclesiasticall persons as ciuill and that euery soule ought to be subiect vnto them and to their lawes and ordinances euen for conscience sake alwayes prouided that they be not opposite to the lawes and ordinances of God and rules of the Gospell though they be not the same but their owne euen the ordinances of man as Saint Peter termeth them saying Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as superiour or vnto gouerners as vnto them that are sent by him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that do wel c. If then Kings and gouerners being infidels haue authoritie from God to make lawes and ordinances such as God commandeth not but are their owne and indifferent in respect of conscience towards God some of them and might be left vndone if they were not by authoritie commanded and that this is to be done of euery soule euen for conscience sake and for the Lords sake as the Apostles speake not for conscience as touching religion as if there were any religious vse or conscience that way to be made of them but in respect of dutie to Kings and gouerners As touching the things that God commandeth and they also require we ought to obey them not because the King commandeth them but because God commandeth them and not as mans ordinances but as Gods If I say Christians ought to be thus obedient vnto infidels for such were the Kings where Christians in those days liued much more ought we to be obedient to Christian kings in the like respects and much more authoritie haue they to constitute and require the lawes and ordinances of God according to his word for their office dutie is not only to see their people gouerned and prouided for as touching their temporall states to place officers vnder him ouer them for the same purpose but also and chiefly to see them prouided for as touching their eternall estates to plant ouer them faithfull shepherds to feed their soules with the bread of life and to roote out and suppresse such as spoile and deuoure the flock and sow heresies among the people as haue done and doe the popish priests and Iesuites these Anabaptists Familists and others And as the dutie of a Christian King is to place ouer his people faithfull shepherds so it belongeth to him also to see them prouided for according to the commandement of the Lord which saith Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe which treadeth out the corne For to Princes and Rulers and such as haue power to muzzle their mouthes and to see them prouided for doth the Lord speake Thus much briefly touching the authoritie of Kings and Rulers how far their power doth extend and how far forth Christians are bound to obey and submit vnto them and thus it must be during the time of this world Kings must rule by Gods appointment ouer all people all are bound to obey them in all their lawes and ordinances which are not opposite to the lawes of God but if they shall command any thing that God forbiddeth or forbid anything that God requireth as the Antichrist of Rome and many heathenish Kings gouerners Iews some professed Christian Kings haue done they may not be obeyed but Christians ought rather to suffer with patience