Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	church_n	government_n	lord_n	2,506	5	3.6741	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76302	The beauty of Godly government in a church reformed or a platforme of government consonant to the word of truth, and the purest reformed churches. Shewing also, the great good that comes thereby, the great evils that it freeth us from. With the two maine objections answered, which are objected by some of the laitie, and some of the clergie. Whereunto is added. A short parrallell betweene the presbyterian and prelatian government. Published for such as are not well acquainted with it.		1642 (1642)	Wing B1640; Thomason E205_5; Thomason E132_34; ESTC R212609	5,186	16

THE BEAVTY OF GODLY GOVERNMENT IN A CHVRCH REFORMED OR A Platforme of Government Consonant to the Word of Truth and the purest reformed CHVRCHES Shewing also The great good that comes thereby the great evils that it freeth us from WITH The two maine Objections answered which are Objected by some of the Laitie and some of the Clergie Whereunto is added A short Parrallell betweene the Presbyterian and Prelatian Government Published for such as are not well acquainted with it Printed Anno Dom. 1641. THE BEAVTY OF CHRISTS Government in a Church reformed In a Parish HEre it must begin according to the order in holy Writ the first Churches being Parochiall speciall care must be had that parishes have in them the ordinances of Christ That there be an able Pastor set over the people in every Congregation for teaching and ruling them That there be with him assistants in governing called Elders with us Church-wardens which are in their roome These must be men of the best quality among them men of understanding lovers of Religion and of a godly honest and peaceable conversation They are to be chosen with the peoples consent and admitted solemnly with prayer in the face of the whole Congregation and an exhortation faithfully to discharge their duties which they must promise to performe God assisting them The number to be moe or fewer as the parish is greater or lesser The meeting of these to be weekely if it may be at a set time and place for conveniency in the Church after divine service is ended in the afternoone or in the week-day when there is a sermon The end thereof To looke to all the parishioners concerning their religion and exercise thereof publikely and privately to see to their honest behaviour and peaceable demeanour one towards another at home and abroad To receive complaints against any delinquents and to proceed against them to admonition to suspension from the holy Communion according to the quality of the offence and as the offender shal deserve without partiality To excommunicate any is very rare and not without the wise advice of the Presbytery Lastly the manner of proceeding to be after the rule of Gods word and according to the godly Ecclesiasticall Lawes prescribed them to follow agreeable to the Word To this meeting come the Over-seers of the poore called Deacons They are to be chosen as the Elders are men of honesty faithfull and godly Their office is to take care of the poore faithfully to distribute the collections and wisely according to every ones necessity To visit the sick and to be able to examine them in the grounds of Religion instructing the ignorant and comforting them that want consolation as elsewhere they doe Motives to imbrace this Parochiall government which Episcopall government keepes us from From the good which comes thereby 1. Hereby Religion and vertue with much care put in practice peace and unity also will be preferred 2 Hereby will religious persons religious meetings and pious exercises be had in esteeme and the vertuous regarded who will be watchfull one over another being knit together in an holy communion much with us wanting 3 Hereby will the vicious the prophane and scandalous be suppressed sinne will not be suffered to reigne nor be so rife as with us it is 4 Hereby through weekly meeting to suppresse vice and to maintaine vertue the Pastors themselves the Elders and Deacons shall become better acquainted with the wayes of vertue and grow more in hatred with vice know also better the rule of ordering of Christs people wisely and religiously whereby his glory may more shine among them and they made happy instruments thereof II. From the great evils which we are freed from but Episcopacy keepes us under 1 Hereby shall all be freed from the heavie yoake and authority of their Ecclesiasticall Courts and their corruptions which God and men of all sorts cry out against 2 From the great expences of money in journying sometimes many miles in lying there at cost and disbursing the charges imposed and called for by the Court besides often appearing long delayes and losse of much time 3 From the wicked and inforcing oath ex officio and from the many thousands of oathes which Church-wardens take and from the oath of purgation inforced upon many to cleare themselves of a suspected crime in taking of which oathes many forsweare themselves and procure the Lords curse against them and the whole Land To these Motives adde 1 That such a government in a Parochiall Church of Christ is approved by our neighbour Kingdome with good successe to the honour of Christ and the peoples reformation 2 That in the Apostles dayes were first founded parochiall Churches and in them the Elders and Deacons ordained and all Christs ordinances exercised in them and therefore to be admitted of us 3 That the robbing of parochiall Congregations of these holy ordinances is the very ground of their spirituall misery from which if they seeke not to be freed they are most unhappy and can never attaine to that spirituall condition which is so hartily wished for and desired for their soules safety Objections answered Some of the Laitie please to say that this is to make every Minister a pope in his parish Answer That a Pastor is to bee obeyed of his people will not be denied for the word commands it Heb. 13.7.17 But to Lord it over Gods heritage he may not 1 Pet. 5.3 Nor doth this make him a Pope in his Parish for the Elders are joyned with him in governmet so as without them hee can doe nothing hee is also subject to the Presbytery and must bee kept within his limits prescribed him Some of the Clergy object and say that these Elders doe overtop their Ministers and make them their vassalls Answer I. One of these objections must be false if not both for they oppose one another 2. Such Minister as thus object may be satisfied by the practise of the Elders among whom this government is exercised Doe they ever heare any of the faithfull Ministers make such a complaint against their Elders 3. These Elders are but Assistants to their pastor and only second them not going before them in the session the Pastor is moderator in the whole action beginning with prayer and so ends it when hee speakes to them they shew him very reverend respect Yea the greatest Noblemen in the land in Church-meetings doe not over-sway the meanest and poorest Minister for if he doe hee shall bee called to an account before the generall assembly where if hee appeare in any ill cause hee will bee made more ashamed then before any judicature in the kingdome 4. Why should any bee offended at those Elders and so conceit amisse against them when wee beare the commanding power of lay Chancellors lay Commissaries with their Registers who rule masterly over us making us to be unconscionably slavish executioners of their often unjust commands Lastly consider that from hence just