Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	build_v	church_n	peter_n	2,152	5	7.8262	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93702	Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht: containing a confutation of the three degrees of popery, viz. papacy, prelacy, and presbitery; answerable to the triple crowne of the three-headed Cerberus the Pope, with his three fold hierarchies aforesaid. With a dispelling of all other dispersed clouds of errour, which doth interpose the clear sun-shine of the Gospel in our horrizon. Wherein the chiefe arguments each of them have, for the vindication of their erronious tenents are incerted, and refuted; with a description of such whem [sic] the true Church of Christ doth consist of: as also how, and by whom, they may be gathered, and governed, according to the will, and appointment of Jesus Christ, and his apostles, in the primative purity thereof. / By Iohn Spittlehouse, assistant to the Marshall Generall of the Army, under the command of his Excellency, the Lord Generall Fairfax. Imprimated by Theod. Jennings, and entred in the Stationers Hall.	Spittlehouse, John.	1649 (1649)	Wing S5013; Thomason E586_2; ESTC R203633	304,213	396

invocation of Saints that are departed for God sendeth not Abimeleck to Noah or any other departed to pray for him but to Abraham then living which duty may be mutually performed in charity whilst one knoweth anothers necessities but for the living to pray to or for the dead which knoweth not their wants being already certainly disposed of in an unchangeable estate as the living are not as also in that the Prophet telleth us that Abraham is dead and Isaac is ignorant of us Isa 63. 16. is such a conceit as hath no warrant from Scripture or any sound reason because they are not present to heare our prayers neither doe they know our hearts and we have one sufficient Advocate and Mediator Jesus Christ 1 Ioh. 3. 1. and therefore need we not the mediation of any other neither will they assume unto themselves any part of We ought to confesse our fins only to God 1 King 8. 47. Psal 19. 120. 33. 5 41. 44. Jer. 14. 20. D●n 9. 15. Mat. 15. 18. 1 Ioh. 1. 9. Christs Office for as the perfume Exod. 30. 8. was alwayes before the Lord which doth signifie the prayers of the Saints so God only through Christ must be invocated which honour he will not give to any other for God must only be beleeved upon as our Saviour saith Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me Joh. 14. 1. and the Apostle saith that men cannot call upon him on whom they have not beleeved Rom. 10. 14. and certainly they would not have us beleeve in Saints departed Obj. Abs●lon could not be admitted to his fathers presence untill Joab had mediated for him and Bethshaba Solomons mother intreated for Adoniah so it is necessary to have Mediators unto God Ans 1. We have one sufficient Mediator Jesus Christ who is able sufficiently to reconcile us unto God 2. Though many mediators are used in Princes Courts because either they are ignorant of our affaires or their affections is estranged yet it is not so with God who knoweth all things besides the love of Christ to us exceedeth the love of all other inferiour Mediators which men can seeke unto 3. The example of Bethshaba is unfitly alledged for she obtained not her suite SECT 6. Obj. ELiphas saith to Job Job 5. 1. Call now if any will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne thee 2. David exhorteth to praise the Lord in his Saints Psal 150. 1. 3. It is said in Ezekiel I sought for a man amongst them to make up the hedge c. but I found none Ans Eliphas in that place speaketh of the Saints and righteous living to see if Job could finde amongst any of them a patron to defend his cause 2. The place in the Psalmes is Praise God in his holinesse or in his sanctuary neither doth it follow that because God is praised in his Saints that therefore we are to pray to Saints as it followeth in the next words praise him in the firmament will they therefore have the firmament prayed unto 3. The place in Ezekiel is spoken of men living and not The Saint● to whom the Papists pray shall be their accusers of men dead the answer therefore which Jacob gave to Rachiel when she called to him for children saying Give me children c. Am I in Gods stead may fitly be applyed by the Saints departed to such prayers or desires made unto them And as our Saviour said to the Jewes There is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust so the Saints which these men so superstitiously worship will at the last day be their accusers CHAP. VI. Treateth of their Idolizing of the Pope c. with a confutation thereof HAving discussed their folly in worshipping of Idols and Images without life as also their adoration and invocation of Angels and Saints departed I shall now discover their folly in worshipping a living Idol viz. the Pope to whom they ascribe an infallibility as also the title of their Lord God the Pope SECT 2. Object IS not the Pope Peters successor and is not Christ said to speake these words to Peter viz. Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it and I will give thee the keyes of the kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven By all which expressions doubtlesse he gave unto Peter a speciall priviledge above all the other Apostles Ans That the Pope is Peters successor I grant but yet in Wherein the Pope is Peters Successor this one particular which was in denying his Lord and Master whose servant he pretends to be and as to the urging of them words mentioned to the particular person of Peter as that thereby he had a more speciall priviledge then the rest of the Apostles is to goe about to prove that our Saviour did contradict himself in his expressions used to the two ambitious Suitors James and John whom no other place would serve them then to sit on the Mat. ●0 20. right and left hand in his kingdome in these words It shall not be so amongst you in which words there is an absolute nullaty of any superiority amongst the Apostles or Disciples of Christ and that by a Statute not to be repealed being the determinate law of a just authority by a Cannon ordained and irrevocably fixed by the wisdome of God and confirmed by an example beyond all arguments even by an example fetched from his owne particular vers 28. where he saith that the Sonne of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister as also Luk. 22. 27. I am amongst you as he that serveth now seeing this humility was in Christ himself how much more ought it to have been amongst Iob. 15. 10. his Apostles and Disciples The servant must not be greater then his Lord Joh. 13. 16. neither he that is sent greater then he that sent him it is enough that the servant be as his Master Mat. 10. 25. 2. To stop these blasphemous and Antichristian mouthes I An equ●ll power and commission were g●ven to all the Apostle● shall also prove that an equall power and commission in use of the keyes was likewise given to all the rest of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ as well as unto Peter and that by the words of our Saviour both before his Passion and also after his Resurrection before his Passion in these words Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall binde on earth c. and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Mat. 18. 18. as also after his resurrection as we have it Joh. 20. 23. Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted and whosoever sins ye retaine they are retained in both which places of Scripture the words are directed to all the Disciples as also

sins of another which cannot forgive his owne as in example If Peter had the power to have forgiven the sins of other men what need had he to have wept and ●●pented for his owne or of whom needed he to have asked pardon seeing he had all the power in his owne hands as they expound the Text Mat. 16. 19. and if so then it must consequently follow that if God would forgive sins he could not without Peters consent of whom the Pope is Successor as they also say in power and holinesse SECT 5. From whence all the glory of Popery sprung and is continued ANd from hence sprange all the glory of the Papacy threatning the Layety whom they kept in the darknesse of ignorance by with-holding from them the light of the Scriptures that if they would not give such and such gifts to the Church build such a Monastery Abbey Nunnery Cathedrall and what not which they pleased as also give a great part of their estates to the maintenance of such of their Hierarchy as was to live in them they should incur his Holinesse displeasure who had power either to damne or save them by which jugling we have had all the Popish buildings erected which either are or have been in this Kingdom for if his Holinesse commanded it must be accomplished in paine of Damnation or a worse turne which God himself could not hinder if it were his Holinesse pleasure to the contrary and in this manner was the Laiety brought poore and the Clergie rich ingrossing by this means into their hands even the very fat of the Land as it is most apparant to them that observe in what places of the Kingdome those religious houses as they terme them are situated But had Peter had that power which the Pope claimeth as We need not fear the Popes curse any more then Paul did Peter his Successor doubtlesse Paul durst not have gain-sayed him as we read he did Gal. 2. 11. for feare lest he should have damned him as also by this meanes one of the Apostles should have been greater then another in power which is absolutely forbidden as I have formerly shewed it is therefore most evident that Peter had no prerogative above his fellow Disciples neither doe we read in Scripture that ever Peter pronounced Absolution to any man so that Absolution and Purgatory are the Popes Stewards to gather in his revenues or impositions which he requireth of his simple stupid Tenants whom I hope will now have more wit or grace then to be any longer cheated by him or inthralled in his Tyrannicall and Anti-christian Kingdome CHAP. IX Treateth of theîr superstitious meriting by good works c. SECT 1. THis opinion is also opposite to the Scriptures as the words of the Apostle sheweth Ephes 2. 8 who speaking concerning the meanes of our salvation saith absolutely That it is by grace that we are saved and not of our selves and that it is the gift of God He also sheweth that grace and workes cannot stand together Rom. 11. 6. If it be of grace it is no more of works and if of works then no more of grace and the Patriarke Jacob confesseth himself to be lesse then the least of Gods mercies or unworthy of the least of them by which it plainly appeareth that be attributed no merit or worthinesse to himself but doth acknowledge all to proceed from Gods mercy which reasons are surely of power to convince any rationall man that we deserve nothing at Gods hands in regard that our best workes are imperfect and have need of grace to pardon the imperfections thereof as also that we are the Lords bounden servants and doe no more then our duty when we doe our best and even then we are unprofitable servants Luke 17. 10. God therefore crowneth our good workes but rather of his goodnesse and mercy then our deserving whose mercy is seene in his gracious promising and righteousnesse in his faithfull performing it is his mercy in calling us before we can any waies be prepared thereunto there is no fitnesse aptnesse or congruity in our nature but all is of grace and therefore Moses telleth the Israelites Deut. 4. 27. that because the Lord loved their fathers therefore he chose their seed after them SECT 2. No preparation in a mans nature to his calling IT doth also plainly appeare that Gods love was the first motive for the choyce and calling of Abraham in regard that Terah his father was an Idolater under whom Abraham was brought up and by all likelihood infected that way before the Lord called him what preparation could there be then in Abraham or provocation as in himself to his calling neither was the beginning only of Gods favour to Abraham of grace and the increase thereof by merit for Jacob being of Abrahams faith saith that he was lesse then the least of Gods mercies or that none of Gods graces first or last were conferred upon him for his worthinesse So then where the Lord findeth his servants faithfull and obedient he will increase them with further graces not merited by their obedience but added in mercy according to the gracious promises of God that vouchsafeth of his fatherly goodnesse to The fore-sight of obedience is no cause of the increase of grace crowne the faithfull service of his children for otherwise if our service and obedience be weighed in it self it deserveth nothing In vain therefore I hope will the Popish Clergy plead any longer for such fopperies as to say that Abrahams faith godlinesse and obedience was acause that God bestowed upon him them great favours as the revealing of the destruction of Sodome c. when as the chief reason was in respect of his fatherly love towards him who having once made choyce of his servants doth for ever love them adding grace upon grace untill he hath accomplished their Salvation or otherwise as the Prophet saith all our righteousnesse We offend in ou● bestworks are as a menstruous rage neither did the holy men of God present their supplications for their owne righteousnesse sake Dan. 9. 8. and being unprofitable servants in our best services we are farre from meriting or deserving any thing and if we doe no more then we are bound in duty nor yet all that we have no reason to expect any reward beyond our desert and if the benefit of this life cannot be merrited much lesse the Kingdome of Heaven Again if we can merrit nothing for our own particulars how much lesse for others SECT 3. Against election by works fore-seene 1 Inst AGain that God hath not elected or made choyse of any for good workes fore-seene in them may evidently appeare by divers places of Scripture As for instance in Simeon and Levi who were two fathers in Israel the one chosen from amongst his brethren to execute the Priests Office and yet we see they were guilty of much blood so that we may perceive that God chose them not for any vertue or

was preached albeit it were through envie therefore envious men may preach Christ Ans The Apostle spoke them words in that sence as in 1 Cor 11. 19. where he saith thit it is requisite that Heresie should be in regard thereby the truth may be made more manifest so in like manner by the preaching of these envious men they make such as preach Christ out of a good intent to be better esteemed and approved Likewise them that preach Christ meerly for lucre and ostentation doe adde a luster to such men as abhorre such things but otherwise it is not to be imagined that Heresies and envious preaching doe benefit the people of God in point of Salvation SECT 3. Obj. THe Apostle Paul telleth the Church of Corinth that he would bring his body in subjection c. least that he preaching to others should himselfe be a cast-away 1 Cor. 9. 2. 7. Ans The Apostle for his owne particular knew that he was no cast-away for beside the testimony of himselfe that he knew nothing by himselfe 1 Cor. 4. 4. as also that he kept a good Conscience in all things 2 Tim. 1. 3. Heb. 13. 8. he had also the faith to beleeve that whom God loveth he loveth to the end and that he will never leave or forsake his elect Job 13. 1. his meaning therefore must needs be that he would doe so least he should seeme to be such an one as aforesaid for I wil not deny but that such men by reading of good Books may attain to such a notionall degree of knowledge as that they may imitate the true Ministers of Christ as Janes and Jambres did Moses and as the N●tionall Priests like ●o fanes of ●ambres false Prophets and Apostles did the true Prophets and Apostles As also in regard that Satan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light but that such a Teacher can convert a Soule to God I utterly deny for if the Divine actions of a David a Prophet and a man after Gods owne heart were not acceptable unto God so long as he regarded sin in his heart how much lesse acceptable wil be the actions of a carnall man and if he cannot prevaile for himselfe how much lesse for another It must needs be then a rediculous tenent that such kinde of God must either co●apperate in the act of preaching or i● availeth not people can doe God service in the Ministry for if his prayers prevaile not with God with whom doe they prevaile And the Text saith that God will not heare such prayers but termeth them houlings Againe though Paul plant and Apollo water yet God must give a blessing of increase unto it 1 Cor. 3. 6. 7. or it profiteth nothing and if so then what blessing can be expected from God upon the actions of notorious and wicked persons who as the Prophet saith ●hath sold themselves to doe wickednesse as also being such Prophets whom the Lord hath not sent Againe though Paul preached to Lidia yet the Lord is said to open her heart to attend to the words which he spake Act. 16. 14. but it cannot be expected that the spirit of Discipline who loatheth such Vessels should Co-opperate with such Preachers as aforesaid though never so learned and without its assistance it is impossible that their preaching should convert a Soule from the errour of its wayes SECT 4. Obj. CHrist sent Judas forth to teach as the other Disciples Mat. 10. 5. and also gave him the like power as his other Apostles vers 8. why then might not Judas doe as much good as the other Ans Judas was a type of such Hipocrites as was to be in the Church unto the end of the world unto whom the Lord affordeth the like externall gifts as he doth the true Ministers of his Church as fo●merly in healing all manner of Diseases casting out Devils and the like which he did to Judas Simon Magus and divers others which we read of in the Gospel who by the Lords permission did many excellent externall workes 〈◊〉 the benefit of the outward man as I have told you but no further for if Judas preached Christ doubtlesse it was for the same ends for which he betrayed him viz. for money Mat. 26 15. as doe his disciples the full bagg'd Priests of these times for otherwise for him who was a Sonne of perdition Joh. 17. 12. a Theif yea a Devil to apply Christ to the Soule of a Christian in that Spirituall sence by which the Saints are to apprehend him certainly cannot be the thought of any ration●ll man for if Satan should cast out Satan how should his kingdome stand so that for Judas to gaine Soules to God would have been a Miracle of Miracles 'T is true Satan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light but it is only to deceive and so doe all his Judas-like disciples by kissing when they intend to betray Againe that sort of preaching the Apostles then used was rather externall then internall a preaching to the outward man then to the inward man a preaching to acquaint the world that the Kingdome of God was at hand Mat. 10. 7. that Christ was come in the flesh a preaching to Repentance and Baptisme as a ●●ares by these Scriptures viz. Mat. 3. 2. as also Act. 2. 38. where the people a●king Peter what they should doe to be saved he willeth them to repent and be baptized c. As also Acts 2. 38. where the Jaylor asking the like question is required by Paul and Silas to beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ With Act. 8. 12. 37. now if repentance or being baptized or to beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ would procure eternall Salvation then shall Judas Simon Magus and divers others be saved for Judas repented Mat. 27. 3. c. and Simon Magus is both said to beleeve and to be baptized Act. 8. 13. The preaching then which they then practised without all controversie tended only to the exalting of Christ in the Flesh and not in the Spirit and from hence it was that the Apostle Paul used this expression viz. He that thinketh he knoweth any thing knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know Yea Christ himselfe told his Disciples that he had many things to say unto them which they were not able to beare so that if I should grant you that Judas did preach as the other Apostles at their first entrance into their Ministry yet would it come farre short of a Soule-saving service that being as it were a preaching of Christ by way of Dispute which was practised even by Christ himselfe after his resurrection with two of his Disciples going to Emmans Luk. 24. 17 c. as also by Peter Act. 2. 22. c. 3. 12. 4. 8. 5. 29. as also by Stephen Act. 8. 51 c. by Saul Act. 9. 20. 22. 29. by Peter Act. 10. 36 c. with severall other places of Scripture being a preaching only to gather the