Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	people_n	power_n	see_v	1,799	5	3.3938	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69752	The doctrine and discipline of the Kirke of Scotland as it was formerly set forth by publicke authority and at this present commanded there to be practised in the said kirke, anno 1641 : together vvith some acts of generall assemblies clearing and confirming the same : as also an act of Parliament by the King and three estates of Scotland for rectifying of the said discipline : the first and second booke.	Church of Scotland.; Church of Scotland. General Assembly.	1641 (1641)	Wing C4224; ESTC R12551	88,536	119

THE DOCTRINE AND DISCIPLINE Of the KIRKE of SCOTLAND As it was formerly set forth by publicke authority And at this present commanded there to be practised in the said KIRKE Anno 1641. TOGETHER VVith some Acts of generall Assemblies clearing and confirming the same AS ALSO An Act of Parliament by the King and three Estates of Scotland for rectifying of the said Discipline THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKE According to all that I shew thee after the paterne of the Tabernacle even so shall yee make it EXOD. 25.9 Printed by Rob. Young his Majesties Printer for Scotland and are to be sold by John Sweeting at the signe of the Angell in Popes-head-Allie 1641. THE PREFACE AFter these dark and dreadfull dayes of barbarous blindnesse superstition wherein by the deceit of dumb dogs bloudie warres for many years had covered the face of this land it pleased the bountifulnesse of God in that riches of his love as not regarding the time of former ignorance with a marvellous mercy to visit this Realme by sending not one Jonah to such a Ninivie or one Phillip to such a Samaria but first few since many and all faithfull holy wise frack to preach the Gospel in Scotland as in another Antiochia At the terrour of these Trumpets like smoake before the winde were quickly driven away not onely the darkenesse of Idolatrie and damnable dissension among the members of this kingdom wherein consisted the strength of that bloudie beast by whose tyrannous crueltie and deceivable wayes Princes and People were shamefully abused and often compelled with the clawes of violence to shed the bloud of the Saints yea to keep the booke of the unchangeable Testament of Jesus Christ under the cover of a strange tongue as a clasped boeke that it should not be read but also many of that Antichristian sect who in the time of persecution had used the curious Arts of that kingdom of lies and service of Baal were turned to the truth of God and preached the word of his grace so that in a short time that Romish Jericho fell the people that sate in darknesse saw a great light and where the power of Satan had prevailed the Throne of Christ was set up the word increased and the Lord added to the Kirke from day to day such as were to be saved so magnifying the strength of his owne arme against his enemies in that prosperous time that neither proud Anakims nor craftie Gibeonites were able to stand before the Spirit that spake in these men of God when they were but few and though they walked in the flesh yet did they not warre after the flesh but by the spirituall armes of bold Preaching reverent ministration of the Sacraments and sincere ruling of the flocke of Christ with discretion and without partialitie and alwayes praying and often fasting they banished Atheisme Barbaritie and Papistrie quenched the fire of contentions prevented dangers planted the Kirkes teached and perswaded great and small poore and rich and persons of all estates to professe the Evangel And howsoever they were daily crossed with deceit and opposition so led they diversity in the hand of amitie that all things concerning the great worke of that glorious reformation to the praise of God and the comfort of the godly were wisely and firmly appointed In those happy dayes the servants of the Lord in love were like Jonathan and David in courage like Gideons 300. in unitie like the Saints that first received the Gospel in care and diligence like the builders of the wall of Jerusalem and so marching like the Lords Armies Then were they neither despised nor abhorred but received as the Angels of God and yet in the Lords troupes neither for worke nor war were there to be found any pompous Prelate Abbot Prior Bishop or Archbishop that loves to shine in dignitie and rejoyce in rent with the contempt of their brethren and neglect of the Lords service O Scotland what was then thy felicitie Then didst thou sing shout with the voyce of joy God will arise and his enemies shall be scattered they also that hate him shall stye before him Thou hast brought a Vine out of Egypt Thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it Thou madest roome for it and didst cause it to take root and it filled the land c. The superstitious ignorant the perverse Papist the craftie Parasite and the self-loving Politian the Christian coloured Belly-god and the loose-liver the time-server and all the sorts of that filthy sect that hates to bee reformed often conspired against the building of that glorious Temple but all in vaine for by the power of God they were disappointed Yet in these last dayes some dangerous Dalilah hath betrayed Sampson and told wherein his strength lay with no lesse hurt to this Kirke then was performed by the false brethren who were craftily sent in and crept in privily amongst the faithfull to spie out their liberty which they had in Christ Jesus that they might bring them into bondage It is cleerly knowne to many in this Kingdome and in forraine parts what a wall for defence and a band for peace and progresse of the Gospel was that heavenly discipline whereby brotherly amitie and sacred harmonie of Prince Pastors and Professours were so continued and increased that all as one man did stand together for the Doctrine Sacraments and Kirke government against the adversaries either lurking or professed It was the hedge of the Lords vineyard and the hammer whereby the hornes both of adversaries and disobeyers were beaten and broken And of this happy mean it might be truely said that in the strength of it more then by our owne vertue were we strong and prevailed And to sharpen our love it is thus written by a stranger but a friend Albeit it be necessarie that they who have their Citie in heaven repose altogether thereupon yet nothing should let us to behold as it were heaven upon earth that is the power of God in his owne c. By most evident reasons I judge the Kirke of Scotland to be of this sort In the which the many mightie and long continuing assaults of Satan the like whereof as I thinke no Nation sustained could neither defile the puritie of doctrine nor bow the rule of right discipline This is a great gift of God that he hath brought together to Scotland both the puritie of Religion and Discipline whereby as in a bond the doctrine is safely kept I pray and beseech you so to keep these two together as that ye may be assured that if the one fall the other can no wayes long stand It cannot be denyed but by the space of fifty yeares and above Scotland ranne well the Doctrine was in such sort preached and Discipline appointed and practised yea both professed established and constantly defended not onely by those faithfull men that went before but by them who followed and yet live in such concord of Kirk and policie that

officers of the Kirk such as clerks of Assemblies takers up of the Psalmes Beadels and keepers of the Kirk so far as is necessary Joyning with them also the Doctors and Schooles to help the ancient foundations where need requires the third portion to be bestowed upon the poore members of the faithfull and hospitalls the fourth for reparation of the Kirks and other extraordinary charges as are profitable for the Kirk and also for the common-wealth if need require We desire therefore the Ecclesiasticall goods to be uplifted and distributed faithfully to whom they appertaine and that by the ministerie of the Deacons to whose office properly the collection and distribution thereof belongs that the poore may be answeted of their portion thereof and they of the Ministery live without care and solicitude as also the rest of the treasury of the Kirk may be reserved and bestowed to their right uses If these Deacons be elected with such qualities as Gods word craves to be in them there is no feare that they shall abuse themselves in their office as the profane Collector did of before Yet because this vocation appeares to many to be dangerous let them be oblished as they were of old to a yearely count to the Pastors and Eldership and if the Kirk and Prince think expedient let cautioners be oblished for their fidelity that the Kirk rents on na wayes be dilapidat And to the effect this order may take place it is to be provided that all other intrometters with the Kirk rent Collectors generall or speciall whether it be by appointment of the Prince or otherwaies may be denuded of further intromission therewith and suffer the Kirk rents in time comming to be wholly intrometted with by the ministrie of the Deacons and distribute to the use before mentioned And also to the effect that the Ecclesiasticall rents may suffice to these uses for the which they are to be appointed Wee thinke it necessary to be desired that all alienations setting of fewes or tacks of the rents of the Kirk as well lands as tiends in hurt and diminution of the old rentalls be reduced and annulled and the patrimony of the of Kirk restored to the former old liberty And likewise that in times comming the tiends be set to nane but to the labourers of the ground or else not set at all as was agreed upon and subscribed by the Nobility of before CHAP. 13. The utilitie that shall flow from this reformation to all Estates SEeing the end of this spirituall government and policie whereof we speak is that God may be glorified the kingdome of Jesus Christ advanced and all who are of his mysticall body may live peaceable in conscience Therfore we dare boldly affirme that all these who have true respect to these ends will even for conscience cause gladly agree and conforme themselves to this order and advance the same so farre as lyeth in them that their conscience being set at rest they may be replenished with spiritual gladnesse in giving full obedience to that which Gods word and the testimony of their owne conscience doth crave and refusing all corruption contrary to the same Next wee shall become an example and paterne of good and godly order to other nations countries and Kirks professing the same Religion with us that as they have glorified God in our continuing in the sincerity of the word hither to without any errours praise be to his name so they may have the like occasion in our conversation when as we conforme our selves to that discipline policie and good order which the same word and purity of reformation craveth at our hands Otherwise that fearfull sentence may be justly said to us The servant knowing the will of his Master and not doing it c. Moreover if we have any piety or respect to the poore members of Jesus Christ who so greatly increase and multiply amongst us we will not suffer them to be longer defrauded of that part of the patrimony of the Kirk which justly belongs unto them and by this order if it be duly put to execution the burden of them shall bee taken off us to our great comfort the streets shall be cleansed of the cryings and murmurings of them as we shall no more be any scandall to other Nations as we have hitherto been for not taking order with the poore amongst us and causing the word which we professe to be evill spoken of giving occasion of slander to the enemies and offending the consciences of the simple and godly Besides this it shall be a great ease and commodity to the whole common people in relieving them of the building and upholding their Kirks in bigging of brigges and other like publick workes to the labourers of the ground in payment of their tiends and shortly in all these things whereinto they have been hitherto rigorously handled by them that were falsly called Kirk-men their tacks-men factours chalmerlanes and extortioners Finally to the Kings Majestie and common-wealth of the countrey this profit shall redound That the other affaires of the Kirk being sufficiently provided according to the distribution of the which hath been spoken the superplus being collected in the treasurie of the Kirk may be profitably imployed and liberally bestowed upon the extraordinary support of the affaires of the Prince and Common-wealth and specially of that part which is appointed for reparation of Kirks So to conclude all being willing to apply themselves to this order the people suffering themselves to be ruled according thereto the Princes and Magistrates not being exemed and these that are placed in the Ecclesiasticall estate rightly ruling and governing God shall be glorified the Kirk edified and the bounds thereof inlarged Christ Jesus and his Kingdome set up Satan and his Kingdome subverted and God shall dwell in the midst of us to our comfort through Jesus Christ who together with the Father and the Holy Ghost abides blessed in all eternity Amen FINIS