Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	glory_n	grace_n	lord_n	4,464	5	3.7966	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92864	Scripture a perfect rule for church-government delivered in a sermon at Margarets Westminster, before sundry of the House of Commons. By William Seigwich [sic] minister in Farnham in Essex. Published according to order.	Sedgwick, William, 1609 or 10-1669?	1643 (1643)	Wing S2388; Thomason E79_21; ESTC R12112	29,267	42

SCRIPTVRE A PERFECT RVLE FOR CHVRCH-GOVERNMENT Delivered in a Sermon at Margarets Westminster before sundry of the House of COMMONS By William Seigwich Minister in Farnham in Essex Published according to Order LONDON Printed for Ralph Smith at the signe of the Bible in Cornhill neare the Exchange SCRIPTVRE A PERFECT RVLE FOR CHVRCH-GOVERNMENT Isaiah 9.6 The Government shall be upon his shoulders THE text is a Propheticall solemnity of the incarnation and inauguration of Christ and sets forth his birth and raigne Christ in the wombe and on the throne The second is exprest very fully in a stately and lofty stile apt and fit to the greatnesse of the matter every word swels with royall and Princely excellencies so full of evangelicall glory that the Septuagint were astonished at the Majesty of it and therefore durst not expresse it but render it in their translation veiled and obscured but Christ by his comming hath expounded them to us and we see them a very excellent plaine and full description of the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Christ shewing to us 1. His regall office to governe the government 2. The burthen and weight of this office it was not honds but onus not a crowne upon the head but the government upon his shoulders the part imployed with bearing heavy and pressing burthens 3. His propriety to it it lay upon his shoulders alone he had no helpe from others he suffered and raignes alone 4. After this there comes a troope of titles setting forth those royall graces which doe adorne assist the crowne of Christ The first shewing the nature and kind of this government it is not an ordinary vulgar or a carnall kingdome but wonderfull mysterious other states have some mysteries in them this is a state of mysteries The second shewes how it is assisted with wisedome and counsell the great support of states and that too within himselfe he needes not goe to others for it and therefore the more faithfull and safe he is the counsellour The third title sets forth his power he is wise to prescribe lawes and as potent to execute them able to defend his Lawes and Subjects in their obedience to those Lawes the mighty God The fourth sets forth his love hee can doe all things but his love limits him and sets his wisedome and power on worke his government is not tyrannicall but paternall his Subjects are his children he is the everlasting Father The fifth shewes the successe of it a government so well assisted and composed must needes be very peaceable the Print of peace The sixth shewes the continuance what is peaceable will continue warre either open or civill being the ruine of states and of his government shall be no end We will take onely the head of all the subject of these excellent properties the government And concerning it observe but these considerations by way of explication of the text and we shall draw up our conclusion to be insisted on Considera 1 That under this tearme of government is meant all Christs power extending to internalls and externalls By the first he rules internally in the Soules of men by grace and holinesse By the second he rules externally the outward man together with the inward in his worship We omit the first although the more excellent and glorious and aime at the second as more seasonable the externall government That this is here included as well as the former beside the extent of the word reaching to all in which Christ exercises dominion two acts of his government expressed vers 7. shew 1. He orders it which is properly a right disposing of things externally 2. To establish it with judgement and justice c. and an act of justice is properly ad extra and therefore though it be not onely understood it cannot be excluded externall government Considera 2 Consider that the text is evangelicall and what was here promised we must expect it to be performed under the Gospell Considera 3 That there is a twofold government 1. Supreme Lordly legislative unlimited 2. Subordinate inferiour shut within bounds By government here is meant the first the power of constituting Lawes of ordaining and laying a government for the second may be and is in the Church-officers but the first proper to Christ These three considerations laid downe the conclusion naturally flowes from the text That Christ hath left or constituted an externall government or a government in externalls for the Church under the Gospell Before we come to the proofe of it two things neede explaining 1. What the Church is that is the subject of this government 2. What this government is and what is the extent of it Concerning a Church the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was used to expresse civill Assemblies any Congregation of men met together for a civill use Act. 19.32 39 40. and is in Scripture taken sometime in a good sometime in a bad sense It is used in spirituall things variously Acts 19 32.39.40 We will not trouble you with the severall acceptions of the word Church in Scripture but take it in its common and most ordinary use and that which accords best with the originall use of it in the new Testament It is a particular or congregationall Church which is a similar part of the Catholique and hath the nature of the whole intire viz. immediate fellowship with Christ and right to all the ordinances The Church is visible or invisible a distinction not of genus into severall species but of the subject into the severall adjuncts for the same Church may be and is visible and invisible We are to consider of the Church onely as visible for so it is the subject of that government we are to speake of a visible and externall body for an externall policy It is ordinarily defined thus to be a company of beleevers joyned together in the name of Christ to enjoy fellowship with God and each other in all Gods ordinances according to the word The matter of this Church must be Saints faithfull men such whereof Christ may be the head Art of Church of England 19. they must all be members that make up a body i. visibly and in appearance These materials cast into a visible union knit together in one body in Gospel-order whereby they are apt and fit for communion with God in holy things and that in the name of Christ this is a Church called his house and family Jun. de Eccl. his City and Kingdome in Scripture I shall not need to spend much time in shewing what this Church is It will conduce much to the businesse in hand to prove that there is a visible politicall Church whose government is distinct from the invisible instituted by Christ And this will appeare 1. From the word Church applied to particular congregations in many places of Scripture to the Church of Corinth Antioch the seven Churches in Asia 2. 1 Cor. 15.24 The Apostle speakes of a

Kingdome to be delivered up to God at the last which is not the invisible Kingdome of grace for that is perfected in the end and so to continue for ever nor the externall Kingdome of the Jewes that already is dissolved but this ministeriall and evangelicall dispensation of ordinances which agrees with that of the Apostle Ephes 4.13 Those offices and administrations must stand till we all come in the unity of the faith c. For as the comming of Christ in the flesh abolished the Leviticall Church so the comming of Christ in glory shall thrust out the evangelicall 3. Hebr. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdome let us have grace c. It cannot be meant of the internall for that consists in grace the Apostle argues from this Kingdome to grace which were absurd if they were but one The consequence is not good any otherwise but thus having a visible and glorious Church let us have grace to enter into it and to walke worthie of it And that the externall Church is meant is apparent from the antithesis that it hath with the Jewish Church vers 18. c. For nothing is opposite to the externall Church under the Law but an externall under the Gospel 4. Many places in the Gospel where Christ speakes of this Kingdome to come can be meant of no other Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand Matth. 4.11 10.7 Christ intending to set up his government prepares materials converts Saints And Matth. 11.11 he compares the ministery of John with the ministery of the Gospel which he cals a Kingdome He that is least in the Kingdome c. i. e. He that is the weakest Minister in the Church under the Gospel is greater then John And that Christ hath instituted such a society and Kingdome such a visible Church reasons prove it If there were not such a Church there would be no communion of Saints here on earth That there is such a communion the Scriptures are plentifull it will be granted the consequent will appeare if we consider what communion is it is an arct close orderly and profitable fellowship For as in civill society that politicall vertue that is in a man is not exercised toward men in a crowd for a man may be solus in civitate alone in a multitude to be politicall or in society is to be united to families Cities Kingdomes So this spirituall fellowship is not with Christians as Christians nor many Christians within a same walls but with Christians united together in one body spirituall 1 Cor. 12.20 Psal 122.3 Ephes 4.16 and that rightly compacted and fitly joyned together Minister and people c. such as are to exercise offices and to administer to each other Now the reason why God would have such a fellowship is 1. For himselfe that he might enjoy the perfection of mankind which is men in society politicall is a step above reasonable By this his service is more rich and glorious having the grace and strength of many in one That we may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God It is a goodly and beautifull service that is thus presented to God Rom. 15.16 and is very acceptable as that Psalme is interpreted How good a thing it is for brethren to live together c. 2. For us Psal 133. there is as great necessity of communion in divine as civill things First in respect of our weaknesse It is not good for man to be alone was Gods judgement of man in innocency and now man cannot be good alone When we are as scattered Sheep the Lions will devoure us while we are as eares of corne growing alone Jer. 50.17 we shall be carried away with every wind of Doctrine against which tossings this is a remedy Ephes 4.14 Church-fellowship having a Kingdome of sinne and darknesse to fight with we need the power of a Kingdome to resist them Secondly in respect of our graces God that gives us grace gives us it to profit with A man cannot be happy alone 1 Cor. 12.7 nor good alone grace will fade and wither if it want objects to worke upon and is never so glorious as in propagation God that hath given us grace hath given it for others as to our selves as a faculty in a member is for the whole body the eye sees for all the eare heares for all c. And therefore there is a necessity of communion and so necessary there should be a Church There must be a Church that there may be ordinances For clearing this consider but these two things 1. That a Church is a chiefe ordinance 2. That the Church sanctifies and upholds all other ordinances First that it is the chiefe ordinance It is Gods Temple under the Gospel 1 Pet. 2.5 Heb. 3.6 called his building and house therefore the greatest 1. Compare it with the Temple under the Law in whose place it comes and under which this is prophecyed of familiarly in the Prophets that was the greatest under the Law so this under the Gospell 2. Compare it with the substance Christs body which is the Temple of all worship Destroy this Temple In whom the God-head dwels bodily Joh 2.19 Col 2.9 That which serves to so high a use as to represent Christ and in the maine worke of Christ to bring us into the presence of God must needes be the greatest 3. It is fullest of Christ many beleevers shining with the graces of Gods Spirit each having some of the divine nature all united in one body It sets forth the glory of God and in them Christ is compleate so full of Christ that it obtaines the name of Christ 4. Other Ordinances were made for the Church not the Church for them Man was one made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for Man so other ordinances for the Church Therefore as under the Law the Temple was greater then the gold of the Temple so the Church is greater then the Ordinances of the Church 1 Cor. 11.12 Secondly other Ordinances subsist not but in the Church The ministery of the word a steward is not a steward but to a house a Pastor is not a Pastor but to a flocke How can a man Preach except he be sent Rom. 10.14 15. and a true mission doth require an externall call Discipline is not exercised but in the Church 1 Cor. 5.12 What have I to doe judge them that are without The Churches censures reach not till they be within the Church the keyes are nothing without a Kingdome All the Ordinances and Sacraments they are not due to Christians as Christians nor as members of the Catholike but to Christians in society in relation ministers and People therefore there is and must be an externall and visible Church distinct from the internall And hence it is that there are distinct callings to the internall and externall Church 1 Cor. 1.2 He writes there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a company