Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	apostle_n	heaven_n	lord_n	1,799	5	3.4709	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10151	The right of Kings conteyning a defence of their supremacy, over all persons and in all causes, as well ecclesiasticall as civill, within their severall dominions : herewithall is proved by testimony of Holy Scripture, that Christian Kinges are to haue such dignity, and execute such office in the Christian church, as Gods kinges had exercised in the church under the lawe : which part of the mysterie of Gods will, as it hath been wickedly under poperie shut up from men, so it is in our tymes right needfull that the same be opened to all Christian nations.	Procter, Thomas.	1621 (1621)	STC 20410; ESTC S1281	21,909	36

office prerogatives or dignitie which himself as an Apostle had received of the Lord Christ Moreover seeing the Lords Apostles were the Lords governours set over the rest of the ecclesiasticall Governours of the Church how unfit were it to conceive that the Successour onely of an Apostle should be Governour over any Apostle But some are of opinion that the Apostle Iohn remained long after the death of the Apostle Peter if therfore the successor of Peter haue a Vicariate power to governe and rule over all Christs Sheepe then must he be this to the Apostle Iohn but what manner unsufferable ambition this favours of I leave to the judgement of all men Let us therefore rather beleeve that if the Apostle Peter appointed his successour then yet he conferred not upon him neyther all the guifts by which himself was an Apostle nor all the power Ministeriall nor dignity which as being an Apostle and one of the chiefe among the Apostles he held and injoyed in the Church of Christ but onely as Paul upon Timothie and Titus he conferred a portion of power and charge such as a Successour might be capable of To conclude seeing no Apostle could conferr upon an other man all the guifts offices and dignity which himself injoyed as an Apostle therefore the successor must be a Minister of a farr inferiour rank dignity and charge of Government in the Church then was the Apostle Peter himselfe Now then why should not such a Minister though he be successour to that Apostle subject himself to the supreame goverment of Gods Kinges so witnessed unto by holy scripture as before I have showen Thus having answered this objection let us proceed to an other The second Obiection SOme peradventure may obiect saying The Kingdome of heaven comming in among the Gentiles by Apostles and Bishops it were a subiecting the Kingdome of Heaven to the powers of this world if we maintayn not the supreme Government to remaine in Bishops and specially in the Apostle Peters successour If any should thus object then I answer the kingdome of heaven comprehending all power as the Lord sayd Math. 28.18 All power is given me in heaven and in earth the power Apostolicall and Episcopall must not be taken for the Kingdome of heaven as if the kingdom of heaven had in it none other powers then it But you see that I haue showen before that there are the powers of Kings in the earth which it pleased God to allow and confirm accepting gratiously also of them as for his Ministers Now though in God the fountaine of power all power is alike as water in a fountaine yet in distributing of that Power into Ministeriall Streames the Lord may ordeyne which parte to which shal be subordinate therefore seeing afore I haue showen that the Apostle Paul calls the Ministers of the sword The Higher Powers and seeing I haue before proved that these powers are allowed by God as for his Ministers and consequently are to exercise such dignity and office in the Church as Gods Kings exercised in the Church under the Lawe And lastly seeing all the scripture shewes that those Kings were over all the Church exercising a supreame government over all ecclesiasticall persons therefore I say it is no subjecting of the kingdome of heaven to the powers of this world to subject the Bishops of the Church to Gods Kings and Soveraigne States Bishops are Ministers of the kingdome of heaven but they are not all the Ministers therof for Kinges also are declared by the Gospell to be Ministers of the same seeing God hath declared himself to accept of them as for his Ministers therefore to subiect one kinde of officer of a kingdome to an other officer is not to subiect the kingdome to an other kingdome Bishops preach the word to these to subdue them to Christ but being subdued by the word ministred Bishops may not say The kingdomes of this world are ours and we will dispose of them but they must say as Rev. 11.15 The kingdomes of this world are our Lordes and his Christs and he shall reigne for evermore True it is that even the greatest Kinges are comprehended in that cōmandement Heb. 13.17 where it is sayd Obey them that haue the Oversight of you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules as they that must give accompts that they may doe it with ioy not with griefe for that is unprofitable for you Therefore even the greatest Princes are subiected by Christian religiō unto spirituall Pastors in the things wherof they are Ministers but this may be without Bishops having the Supreme government For as a Lord of greatest authority in a kingdome must obey to every the meanest Constable of a kingdome within his precinct of charge in that wherein such Cōstable is indued with power authority from the King when yet this makes not such Lord to lose his superiority which in the kingdome he hath over such Constable so is it between a King and a Bishop God hath declared the Kings of the Gentiles for his Ministers therefore as Kinges were to Priestes under the Lawe so must they be to Bishops under the Gospell and on the cōtrary as Priests were to Kings under the Lawe so may Bishops be to Kings under the Gospell The King under the Lawe left the Priestly power and ministration to the Priest was obedient in all things when yet he ceased not hereby to be governour over the Priests even so are Kinges to doe under the Gospell The King that must submit himself to heare the Gospell preached by the Bishop to receive of his hand Gods Sacraments to use him as Gods Priest to pray for him and other like yet is such a Minister for God over such Priest as that such Priest preaching false doctrine or ministring the sacraments otherwise then according to Gods institution or doing any thing otherwise then as Gods word in scripture prescribes in stead of obeying such Priest he is over him to take vengeance on him in Gods stead as for an evill doer So likewise the King that doing evill is subiected to the Priests proceeding against evill doers whether it be to discipline of humiliation or shaming to sequestration or excommunication is yet such a Minister for God over the Priest that the Priest doing this upon uniust cause or pressing unjust ends or effects of such discipline the King in stead of obeying must punish such Priest as for an evill doer The Pope is one of these wicked Priests for even for obedience to the true word of God and for ordering things according to its direction he useth the sword of the Church against men yea against Kings and not onely so but having excommunicated any he teacheth that subiects should not acknowledge nor obey their excommunicate Kings childrē their excommunicate Parents nor wives their excommunicate husbands and the like but with what peace of conscience shall a man break Gods word to doe according to this word of

Apostle calls the Kings and Princes among the Gentiles The Higher powers and declares them for Gods Ministers for the wealth of them that doe well and punishment of evill doers the likenes therefore in these particulars argues Gods approving that they should be like his former Kings in their Ministration As therefore the church under the Lawe tooke example for her King frō the Kinges of the Gentile Nations so God approving of the Kinges among the Gentiles they are to take example for their Ministration from that which with Gods approbation Kinges did in the Church under the Lawe This I press the more because the Pope of Rome admits easely of Kings as of hang men to punish the Clergy of the Church for evill doing when he shall give up such Clergy to be executed or punished by the sworde but at no hand will admit that they should exercise such Ministration as Gods Kinges with Gods approbation exercised in and over the Church under the Law This is one of his delusions this one of his presumptions against the ordinances of God and of Christ and by this he worketh to the Christian world not a little mischiefe But now unless the Christian Nations will make the Pope of Rome their Apostle they ought to beleeve concerning this matter according to the revelation of the will of God by the Apostle Paul neither shall they be guiltlesse before God if they beleeve the Popes word the same being diverse from the word of Gods true Apostle To conclude seing God approves of Kinges as Kings for his Ministers they are boūd as they will answere it to God to exercise such kingly Ministration as with Gods allowance his Kings before time exercised for seing Christian Religion allowes not of all things done by Kings among the Gentile Nations whilst they were Infidells it must needs be that the Kings of the Gentiles are not to doe all that which they as Infidels did but such things as with Gods allowance his Kings before time did so faire forth as Christian Religion permits This I add here because of the abolishing of Sacrifices for sinnes which under the lawe were offred by Kinges as also because that under Gentilisme Kinges were both Kinges and Preists whereas Gods Ordinance under the Christianity as under the Lawe permits not this But now having proved that God accepts of the Kings of the Gentiles as Kings for his Ministers having showen you they are to take example for the same frō Gods Kings in the Church under the Law I think fit in the next place to put you in minde of two speciall things 1. That under the Lawe the worde of God was given to the King 2. That it was given to him as to a Iudge That the worde of God was given to the King may appeare by the testimony of our blessed Saviour who Ioh. 10.35 saith If he called them Gods unto whom the word of God was given c. for though Priests are comprised under the Name of these Gods yet Kinges are not excluded seing none can deny Kings to be Princes And here I would haue you to note that this manner speaking of our Lord argues a kinde of trust as if God intrusted the keeping of his word unto Kings and Priests for when it is sayd that the word is given to them it implies that God trusteth them with his word But to this scripture we may add another Deut. 17.18 where the charge of God to the Kinge is given in these wordes saying And when he shall sit upon the throne of his Kingdome then shall he write him this Lawe repeated in a book by the Preists of the Levites And it shal be with him and he shall reade therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God and to keepe all the words of this Lawe and these Ordinances for to doe them That his heart be not lifted up aboue his brethren and that he turne not from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left Here observe first That not what the Priest will deliver for Lawe but the Lawe its selfe This Lawe he hath right yea and charge also from God to take Secondly that this Lawe is given to him as to a King therefore as to to a Minister and not as to a private Person therefore also it is not given him for his private direction onely what to beleeve and doe for his owne salvation but it is given him for a direction of his Ministration for what is given to an Officer as an officer is given for a direction what to doe in his office Therefore Kings haue a charge of Gods word aswell as Priests and they are to be directed by it in their Ministration so that they may not content themselves to say I doe this and this in my Office by the teaching of the Priests but they must reade and meditate in the word its selfe of God by it to be instructed what to doe There is difference to be put betweene the Minister revealing primarily the word of God and the Minister of the word already reveiled of the first the greatest Kinges are subjected to receive the word as they deliver it but the word once so delivered the King is to take it and to reade and meditate in it and is not bounde to take onely the interpretation or word of him who is but the Minister of the word already reveiled Therefore also the King is interposed betweene God and the Minister of the worde already reveiled as having right to take the word its selfe reveiled and not whatsoever the Minister of the worde already reveiled will deliver as for that word Would God that Christian Princes did duely consider this gratious goodness and mervailous favour of God towards them for if they duly considered this it would much provoke them to reade themselves the revealed word of God and not to leave this to the reading of Priests onely How will they answer it to God if being Kings as by Gods ordination they neglect this charge given by God to his Kings Ah the evils which the false word of an evill Priest hath brought upon them through their neglecting themselves to read the word of God in Scripture But now as I have before proved that Gods accepting of the Kings of the Gentiles as kings for his Ministers serves both as for Gods gracious election made of them and also as for a warrant that they should serve God in the kings ministration approved of by God in the hands of his kings under the law so it may now appeare unto them that the charge of God given to his kings in the Church under the Law serves also for a charge unto them And seeing this charge is given to the kinge as kinge it proves that his charge is that he see all the ordinances of God observed by all for this use of this charge made the good kings in the Church under the law as

doing the proper Duties of their Episcopall or Priestly Ministration or which occasions their over seldome or negligent doing the same that is ill done by Princes and God will visit them both for drawing his Ministers of the word from performing their proper duties of such Ministration and also for suffering unpunished any such omission or neglect of these duties These things I thought good here to touch at because it might occasion our Princes to hold Gods Priests to the duties proper to their Ministration and to punish in them any omission or over negligent performance of the same But now to conclude this poynt Princes are not barely as executioners to reward the good and punish evill doers but they are costituted also Iudges by the Lord that they also may iudge in all things to which the word already revealed from God stretcheth And verily even the Ministers of the word already revealed are preaching the same to them to preach as to Gods Iudges of doctrine preached Not that they are all alike capable of iudgement in such things but that this is the right of their office which also for conscience towards God must be had in Reverence Thus have I proved that Kings under the Gospell are to exercise such Dignitie and Ministration as with Gods blessed approbation we find in Scripture that Gods Kings exercised under the Law As therfore under the Law the King was over the Church in the Nation of the Iewes as Moses sayd If thou say I wil set a King over mee c. which manner Supremacie the Kings under the Law did in fact exercise and hold And as under the Law the Kinges did not onely reward the good and punish the evill but did also Iudge of good and evill by the direction of the word given him restoring pure Doctrine and setting the Priests and Levits to their due offices and ordering the Divine Service so are the Kings under the Gospell likewise to doe being over the Church in their severall Dominions and iudging of what is good and evill by the word of God in Scripture and restoring Religion setting the Cleargy to their due offices and ordering the Divine Service in the Church Wherin though they are not to neglect not the advice onely but authority also of the Bishops and Priests yet they are not to take for their direction whatsoever they shall advise and presse but they ought themselves to read and meditate in the word of God and to judge by it of that advised and urged by the Bishops These things concerning the Supremacy and Government of Kings I have here pressed upon the observation of Princes partly to stirre them up to mind their owne Authority in the Church partly to instruct all Christian Subiects what to beleeve concerning their dutie toward Princes but now having this done I think it fit to answer in the next place one or two obiections which either are or may peradventure be made against this which formerly I have written The first obiection AGainst the Supremacy of Kings and their judging in all causes and governing ouer all persons within their severall Dominions it commonly heretofore hath been and to this day is alleadged That our Lord committed unto Peter to be continued in his Successors the Supreame vicariate power of governing the Church for ever This opinion they fortifie partly by Scripture partly by Tradition partly by the sayings of Doctors of great authoritie in the Church The Scriptures which they commonly make use of are first Math. 16.18 where the Lord sayd thus unto Peter I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not overcome it Secondly Iohn 21.15 where againe the Lord sayd thus unto the same Apostle Simon the sonne of Iona lovest thou mee He sayd unto Him Yea Lord Thou knowest that I love Thee Hee sayd unto him Feed my Lambs He sayd unto him againe the second time Simon the sonne of Iona lovest thou me he sayd unto Him Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee He sayd unto him Feed my Sheepe Hee sayd unto him the third time Simon the sonne of Iona lovest thou me Peter was sorie because he sayd unto him the third time lovest thou me and he sayd unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Iesus sayd unto him Feed my Sheep From both these Scriptures they collect that the Apostle Peter should feed all the Lords sheep for ever both with Doctrine and Government therefore all the Lords sheep must receive from this Apostle their Doctrine and Powers or Offices that so they may be built upon the Rock of this Apostles approbation or allowance And because the Apostle was to doe this for ever therefore after his death this must bee done by his Successors the Popes of Rome Hence it is that they seeke the Popes approbation of all Doctrines and receive their Episcopall authoritie from him yea Kings also receive kingdomes of him But now I will in the next place discover the fallacy of this collection shewing that these Scriptures are not so to be understood neither do intend any such matter And I think fit to write first of the latter Scripture because the false use made thereof being discovered it will the more easily appeare that they make a false use of the first Scripture also If from the Lords words in saying to Peter Feed my Lambs feed my sheep it be collected that Peter must feed all Christs sheep and this also both with Doctrine and Government then it followes that the rest of the Apostles as well as any other must be thus fed by Peter seeing they also are a part of the Lords sheep but seeing feeding is taken in matter of Doctrine for the receiving of doctrine from him or grounded upon the authoritie of his approbation and seeing feeding in matter of Government is taken for a bearing rule over all Christs sheep and that all Powers or Offices Ecclesiasticall and civill are to be derived from him or grounded upon the authoritie of his approbation therefore I am to prove by testimonies of holy Scripture that we are not thus to understand the Lord in this speech of his For matter of Doctrine it is well knowen that the rest of the Apostles received not their Doctrine from Peter but from the Lord Christ even as Peter himselfe did neither were they to ground or build that upon the authoritie of Peters approbation which they received immediatly from the Lord therfore I conclude that the rest of the Apostles were not fed by Peter in matter of Doctrine Moreover the Apostle Paul Galat. 1.11 testifies saying I certifie you brethren that the Gospell which was preached of me was not after man for neither received I it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Iesus Christ. By this testimonie it is plaine that the Apostle Peter fed not the Apostle Paul with Doctrine but rather