Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	church_n	head_n	supreme_a	4,494	5	9.0477	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20304	XXVII. lectures, or readings, vpon part of the Epistle written to the Hebrues. Made by Maister Edward Deering, Bachelour of Diuinitie	Dering, Edward, 1540?-1576.; T. N., fl. 1577.	1577 (1577)	STC 6727; ESTC S114746	295,005	510

grace despised and iniquitie to haue the vpper hand in the figure that hee beareth wese the spirit to conquer righteousnesse to be exalted and a Kingdome of glorie to be set vp for euer that if we should finde in our selues the sinnes of Solomon yet we might assuredly knowe they cannot driue away the image of Christe but he is redie to iustifie al that do beleue for it is no dout but he in whose person was suche an image of Christe Christ offred to him againe an image of righteousnesse in which he should be presented faultelesse to eternall life Now where Christ is set out thus a King for euer we are taught not by dayes and times to measure his commaundementes but to holde them without chaunge as the gouernment for euer of his eternall kingdome for it is to to grosse follie for vs to say he is still our King if we dare abrogate his lawes for he is our ruler for euer and yet without him we will make lawes continually Was it euer heard among earthly kinges that subiects could either repeale or change their princes lawes or make lawes without them in their owne kingdome Or can there be greater treason then to cōspire for such a lewde libertie Euen so it is with all men and princes in the Churche of christ He is our Kinge he must be our Lawe-giuer he is King for euer and his lawes must neuer be chaunged he is our king alone without him al the world can make no law In no cōmon wealth there was euer law proclamed but in the name of the King In the Churche of Christ who shall proclame decrees but in the name of Christ and therfore expressly Christ taketh vpon him to be our onely Lawe-giuer And all princes the more godly they bee the more carefully will take heede to be no lawgiuers in his churche for matters concerning faith for that were to giue a lawe vnto him which none wil do but antichriste himselfe The Pope stirred vp Charles the fifte and King Henrie the eight and gaue them for their hire this title to be called defenders of the faith a proud beequest and how humbly it was possessed God doeth know After that king Henrie taking vnto him the courage of a true and naturall king draue out that spirituall tyrante out of all his Realme and by graūt of the clergie cōsent of the parleament toke vpō him the name of supreme head of the church of England which the pope had before vsurped ouer al nations But seing now it is so that these names are taken vp and made hereditarie to our Kinges and Queenes we will not reason of the titles rather let vs do the duetie of louing subiects pray that they may finde grace by their names to be prouoked more to godlinesse that in true ioy of heart they may haue the honour of their calling and hold fast a good conscience against the day of Christe This onely we testifie to all potentates and princes that what honourable titles so euer they haue yet they must be subiect in the Churche and haue Christe alone to be king ouer it Let them make no lawes appoint no orders ordeine no gouernement but such as are agreeable with his lawes orders and gouernement For that were sacrilege and it is the presumption of the man of Rome but let them exsecute the lawes of Christ see his orders kept establishe the gouernement which he hath ordeined holde men of al degrees in obedience vnto God for this is the true honour of the Lordes chosen Princes and the glorie of their calling which shall not wither And now to the end we may the more willingly do this both we and our kings whom God hath set ouer vs let vs marke this further which the Apostle addeth of our Sauiour Christe that His scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse meaning as I saide that his gouernement is all in trueth and righteousnesse A good reason and a great persuasion to all that are of God why we shoulde let Christ alone with the ordering of his Church His scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse not only a righteous scepter that is that whatsoeuer he ordeineth it is righteous but the scepter of righteousnesse that is whatsoeuer is righteous is ordeined of him and all spirituall scepters of all kings which are not directed by him they are crooked broken scepters of superstition scepters of idolatrie there is none of righteousnesse but onely the scepter of Iesu Christ. The scepter is a little wand which Princes haue accustomed to beare in their left hand and it is a signe of their gouernmēt by a Metonymie it signifieth here the gouernment it selfe Now the scepter of Christe is as his kingdome is not a scepter of wood or metall like other kings for his kingdome is not of this world as theirs is but his scepter the Prophet Esaie in plaine words describeth it He shall smite the earth saith he with the scepter of his mouth with the breath of his lipps shal he kil the vngodly In which wordes of the Prophet we see both what is this scepter and why it hath the name of righteousnesse the scepter is the worde of his mouth that is the preaching of the Gospel not decrees nor decretalls nor traditions of men nor vnwriten verities by none of al these we haue receiued the spirit of God but onely by hearing faithe preached it therefore alone is the scepter Heere tell me dearely beloued I wil aske no harde question but a thing which your eyes haue seene and your bands haue handled Tell me what kingdome is the Popes Or whence is it Is it Christs Then the preching of the Gospel is the scepter of it and the scepter bearers are in euerie congregation the pastors teachers by the Gospel preached it bindeth and loseth by the Gospel preached it ruleth ouer vs by the Gospel preached it teacheth faith it ordeineth religion it ministreth Sacraments by the Gospel it begetteth vs by the Gospel it nourisheth vs and in the hope of the Gospel it layes vs downe in peace If it haue another scepter then this then it is an other kingdome then that of christ If the scepter be the Canon lawe the scepter bearers their Cardinals and clergie lords their chauncellers and commissaries and other men that wee knowe not If they binde and loose by pardons and bulls If they teach a faith solded vp as they terme it in an idle fancie that we must beleeue as the Churche doth beleeue and the Church beleeueth as we do beleeue when neither our Church nor we can tel what we beleue If they teache vs to worship after the traditions of men If it feed vs vp in the hope of the Church of Rome If it lay vs downe at last in an vnknowen purgatorie whether this be the scepter iudge you and if it be I assure you in the worde of trueth the Apostle and Prophet bothe witnessing