Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	king_n	people_n	subject_n	12,053	5	6.8171	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03409	The Churches authority asserted in a sermon preached at Chelmsford, at the metropoliticall visitation of the most Reverend Father in God, VVilliam, Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury his Grace, &c. March 1. 1636. By Samuel Hoard B.D. and Parson of Morton in Essex.	Hoard, Samuel, 1599-1658.	1637 (1637)	STC 13533; ESTC S104116	44,865	76

power For the removall therefore of this Gorgons head which doth so amaze the vulgar and make them think that Bishops should use no punishments for the safeguard of their determinations two things are to be noted 1. The persons which are here compared and distinguished 2. The drift and purpose of our Saviour in this comparison 1. For the persons we are to know that they are not Aaron and Moses the Clergy and the Laity but Christian and Pagan governours as appeares by the notation of the word for where doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie lay men men distinguished by their callings in the Church not nations divided from the Church It is alwayes opposed to the Christian Church and men living therein whether ministers or people and is as much in signification as the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Septuagint doe alwayes translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we may see Esay 11.10 Psal 2.1 c. Now Goijm signifies all nations that were not Iews all such as they esteemed to be out of the Church and therfore the (a) Buxtorf lexic de vocab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudaei appellant Christianos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi Gentem abommabilem affectu proisus malitioso Iews doe at this day call the Christians because they account them the greatest aliens from the common-wealth of Israel Goijm unbeleeving people Besides if we looke into the new Testament we shall see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are never used but where Gentiles are mentioned and must be understood (b) Mat. 4.15.10.5 Luke 2.32 Act 4.27.9 15.13 46. Rom. 2.24.3.9 c. Our Saviour therefore must have spokenhere very improperly and far otherwise than the language did lead him had he by Gentiles in this place meant lay men The comparison therefore which is here made being between Infidels and the Church indefinitely as it includes all her members and magistrates civill and Ecclesiasticall it followeth that the restraint here given doth not respect the Prelates of the Church determinately but equally all that beare rule in Christian Common-wealths and so can be no argument for the clipping of the Churches wings more than for the limiting of civill authority Secondly for the scope of our Saviour it was not 1. To forbid magistracy among Christians as the Anabaptists would have it for then there would be a plain contradiction between him and his Apostles who taught that the higher powers are ordained by God and that they were to be obeyed by all that were under them (a) Rom. 13.1 1 Pet. 2.13 14 17 c. and this would have brought the whole world into confusion long since there being no possibility of its consistence without government Nor secondly was it his purpose to forbid a superiority of some over others in the Church for 1. He forbids that only which himselfe did refuse propounding his owne practise as an example of that doctrine which he taught them It shall not be so among you for I am among you as he that serveth But did he ever renounce authority over his disciples while he lived among them did not he rather behave himself as a commander and master enjoyning them from time to time what he would have them doe and did not he willingly accept that title of Lord and master which his disciples gave him John 13.13 Yee call me master and Lord and ye say well for so I am 2. He prohibites not what he supposed but hee supposeth that there was to be a sub and supra a subordination and superiority among them as the words maximus and minimus greatest and least here used doe import Neither was it in the third place to hinder the annexion of civill authority to the Church and to restraine Church-men from being Iustices of peace or privy Counsellours c. For Christ doth use this speech to his disciples to disswade them from striving about superiority but if this had been his meaning that the disciples should not be ambitious of temporall power it would not have reached home nor been a sufficient argument for that purpose for they might have reasonably replyed Sir we strive not to be Kings or Princes or Counsellers of State let us have authority in the Church and we ask no more What then was our Saviours intent in this prohibition The true meaning of that Text. It was to prevent the vicious customs of heathen Kings and Lords in Christian Governments whether spirituall or temporall Their vices or faults in government were especially two 1. Their ruling by their owne wills in stead of laws 2. Their ruling for their owne ends without respect to the peoples good as if the lives and goods and children and servants of their subjects had been made only to serve their turnes and maintaine their pomp This was their chiefe fault and thus did they governe as appeares by the speech of Samuel (a) 1 Sam. 8.11 This will be the custome of the King that shall raigne over you He will take your sons and appoint them for himself for his chariots for his horsemen c. and your daughters for his confectionaries cookes and bakers c. who sought to deterre the people from desiring a King by describing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the custome and fashion of their King treading in the steps of his neighbour princes who were all Ethnicks And so much doth the Originall word by which their manner of governing is here described import which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they play the Lords they domineere over their people as if they had all that soveraignty over them that can be imagined This potestatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this vicious and unreasonable manner of ruling our Lord would have his disciples and all Christians to take heed of allowing them in the meane time potestatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fatherly kinde of power over their inferiours to governe as parents doe their children with an eye on their good and consequently to correct and punish them when they prove bad children and unruly The Shepherds of the Church may governe their flocks but not with force and cruelty as they did in Ezekiels time Ezek. 34.4 they may take the oversight of Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.2 but not as absolute Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over-ruling them saith the translation in the margine for their owne either covetous or ambitious ends Lay these two things then together 1. Christ compareth the Gentiles and Christians in their kinde of governing and 2. His intent is to barre all Christian Princes and Prelates from exercising a tyrannicall rule over their inferiours and to win them to that (b) Moderationem Apostolicae potestatis illius rectum usum ad divinae voluntatis praescriptum ea verba docent Pilson de eccl Guber c. 6. p. 91. moderation in their government that becomes his people and it will appeare that this

silly that if we be not provided for by God with a standing government in the Church as the Synagogue was Gods care of us now is nothing so great as it was at that time of them because those many things wherein by Gods bounty wee out strip them are abundantly sufficient to countervaile that defect if it be a defect But I rather take it to be an honour to be free from such a burdensome yoke of many and costly and toilsome ceremonies as was laid on their backs 2. This is no derogation neither Nor of fidelity in Christ to the fidelity of Christ to his Father If we compare him with Moses Gods servant in those times Who was faithfull in all Gods house Heb. 3.5 it is true that hee did not all the particulars that Moses did and yet he was never the lesse faithfull in his place For the fidelity of a sonne or servant is to bee measured not by the number of acts which he doth but by the conformity of his actions to his fathers or masters commands and so is our Saviours God appointed Moses to make every thing belonging to that typicall and temporary dispensation according to the pattern which he saw in the mount Heb. 8.5 and if he had not done so hee had not been faithfull And he sent his Sonne to be Our high Priest to sacrifice himselfe for the salvation of men to be a Prophet also to instruct them in all necessary truths and to be a King to protect his people in the world and to bring them at last maugre all their spirituall enemies into his glorious kingdome All these our Lord hath truly and fully done who will deny it But he never gave him in charge to prescribe externall laws for his Churches government while warfaring here on earth Nor imperfection of Scriptures 3. Nor doth this involve the Scriptures imperfection for the Scripture is an instrument and the perfection of an instrument is only relative We doe not say that a pen or an axe is naught because they cannot doe all things if a pen can write well and an axe cut well we take them for perfect and good So wee must not say that Gods word is insufficient if it reveale and prescribe not whatsoever we imagine it should if it be able to make us wise to salvation and compleatly furnisht to every good work for which use and end only it was given 2 Tim. 3.16 17. it must needs be granted that it is full and perfect though it teach us not how the Church should be governed otherwise than by generall rules these in my text and such other It is with the Scriptures as with nature Non deficiunt in necessariis nec abundant in superfluis They are neither defective in necessaries nor excessive in superfluous things such as this is This passage I meane to close up with the Testimony of Beza in his Epistle to Bishop Grindall Bez ep 8 ad Grindall ep Lond. Proved by a Testimony of Beza where first he mentions two sorts of men one that would have all orders that had been of use in the Apostles times brought back into the Church and observed and whatsoever succeeding ages have added to them abolished the other sort would have old Rites of use in the Church after the Apostles times to be retain●d as either necessary or profitable or for unities sake And then saith Quod ad me attinet c. As for my part that the doctrine of the Apostles was exact and perfect I make no question but I am of another opinion concerning Rites For first it is certaine that the Churches every day increasing the Apostles could not ordaine whatsoever they held expedient and therefore in their making of orders they proceeded by degrees as by the institution of Deacons it appeares tolerating for a while even many Iudaicall Rites as we may see in the history of their Acts. Secondly who seeth not that in their externall constitutions they had very great respect to the present times places and persons So that it is not probable that the same Rites were used in all places as is evident enough by that famous Epistle of Irenaeus to Victor Besides some of their ordinances those love feasts for example necessity it selfe abolished Therefore whatsoever was done by the Apostles concerning ceremonies is not in my conceit either presently or absolutely to be made a rule And I doe not wonder that the ancient Pastors of the Church having respect to their owne times did antiquate some of those first injunctions and set up new ones in their roome Their fault was that by their leave I may speake what I thinke that they held not a meane in the number of their Rites nor had so much regard to Christian simplicity and purity as was meet In this discourse of his Beza 1. delivereth his judgement plainly that there is no forme of government left us by the Apostles incompatible with additions or detractiōs 2. He proves his opinion by divers arguments 1 from its impossibility the Church was then in motu non statu in motion not in its full perfit state and they were forced to proceed by degrees in their constitutions answerable to the increase of the Church and the tempers of such people as were made the Church 2 from the abrogation of Apostolique Rites by the Churches as they saw cause and of some of them even by the Apostles themselves after they had ordained them 3 Lastly he concludes that the faults of Church-governours in prescribing orders have not stood in this that they passed by the Apostles and set up their owne laws but that they exceeded in the number or quality of such Rites as they introduced into their Churches Quest But perhaps it will be granted that the Church hath power to decree such Rites and ceremonies as are decent and orderly but what if the Rites decreed doe want this externall forme and qualification and are neither comely nor orderly doth not the Church then which ordaines such exceed her commission or how shall we know what ceremonies are agreeable to these rules 1. Answ Significancie or abuse no mark of indecent ceremonies If any Bishops in the Church authorize Rites not suitable to these rules they presume beyond their allowance and shall give account to God who hath set them over his family the Church 2. We must not judge of ceremonies by false rules 1 Some reject all ceremonies as uncomely that are significant and yet those holy kisses given and taken by the Primitive Christians were significations of mutuall charity the womens coverings the mens bare heads were signes of womens subjection to their husbands and the husbands subjection to Christ alone And of ceremonies saith (a) Pet. Mart in 1. Cor. 11. vid. etiam Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 10. Sect. 15 Peter Martyr those are the most laudable that are the most lively in signification 2 Some againe condemne all Rites that are or

inferiours to obey Obedience then to these smaller things of the law these appendices of Gods service Surplesse Hood standing up at the Creed kneeling at the Communion the Crosse in baptisme and bowing at the name of Iesus is no arbitrary and indifferent thing But it is the part of ever private man Ca● 30. both minister and other reverently to retaine the true use of these things prescribed by publique authority considering that things of themselves 〈◊〉 different doe in some sort alter their natures when they are either commanded or forbidden by a lawfull magistrate and may not be omitted at every mans pleasure contrary to the law when they be commanded nor used when they are prohibited They are the last words of our 30. Canon and a confirmation of my point Let every soule saith S. Paul be subject to the higher powers the words are not permissive Rom 13. let every one that will subject himselfe to authority but imperative let every one as he ought submit himselfe And let every soule here is no liberty for libertinisme in any none must think himselfe too great or too good to yeeld obedience to his superiours all without exception or exemption must doe their commands And therefore I wonder how those that seem to make a conscience of other sinnes can make no conscience of this but rather make it a point of conscience to lye under this guilt and be rebellious against their lawfull Pastors in these things Obey them saith the same Apostle Heb 13.17 that have the rule over you and submit your selves the persons here pointed at are Bishops and Prelates of the Church as the following words doe shew for to them alone doth the care of mens soules directly and properly belong and the duty which all inferiours owe to them is obedience which therefore S. Paul doth not barely commend but peremptorily charge upon them But a place that may be instead of all others to inforce obedience to the laws of the Church and a full and ample obedience also to all good laws is that Text in S. Matthew where our Saviour saith The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seate Mat. 23 2. all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe c. These words therefore must a little be examined and pressed upon our refractory brethren First then who are the persons to whom subjection is here injoyned the Scribes and Phrisees but who were they What is meant by Scribes and Pharisees Scribe in Scripture is a name of office or calling and signifies 3. sorts of men 1. A Scrivener one that liveth by writing so Psal 45. 1. My tongue is the tongue of a ready writer 2. A Secretary of State in this sense Shebna is called a Scribe Esay 36.3 3. An officer in the Church an expounder and teacher of the Scriptures in this sense Ezra the Priest is said to be a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses Ezra 7.6 .i. a skilfull interpreter so it is also taken Mat. 13.52 Every Scribe which is instructed to the kingdome of heaven c. And in this last sense it is to be taken here Pharisee is a name of Sect or Order and the Pharisees were a fraternity among the Iews that lived by peculiar rules and in a stricter manner than did others As we may see Acts 26.5 where S. Paul sayes After the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee Of these Pharisees some were Clergy-men Scribes and expounders of the law as it appeares Iohn 3.10 11. where Nicodemus is called a Pharisee and a master or teacher in Israel and Acts 5.34 where Gamaliel is called a Pharisee and a Doctor of the law .i. an expounder of the Scripture So that these two differed as the Secular and Regular Priests they lived after a diver manner yet both of them were Teachers and in spirituall things Rulers and Masters of the people We see who the persons are to be obeyed But why must they be obeyed because saith Christ They sit in Moses seat 1 We reade of a twofold seate peculiar to persons of quality and eminency of place 1. A seate of civill government What is meant by Moses chayre belonging to Kings and Iudges as may be seen Psal 122.5 There are set Thrones of judgement 2. A seate of doctrine and spirituall Iurisdiction proper to the Priests and heads of the Church for such were wont to sit when they taught the people and gave judgement as our Saviour intimates Mat. 26.55 I sate daily among you teaching in the Temple The first of these seats was usually called the Throne of David because he was the first establisht King to whom God had appointed a succession of children to be Kings after him but this latter seat the Chaire of Moses because he was the first that received the law from God and published it to the people 2. To sit in these seats is to succeed these persons in authority to sit in Davids Throne is to succeed him in his kingdome and therefore Salomon is said to sit in the throne of David his father because hee did succeed him in his royall government and to sit in the chaire of Moses is to have the place and office of instructing and governing the people in things concerning God So that our Saviours reason to urge the people to obedience is the Scribes and Pharisees are the authorized teachers and masters of Israel therefore you must bee ruled by them and submit unto them Authority how far to be obeyed But thirdly how far were the people to obey them Whatsoever they bid you observe saith Christ that observe and doe These words though in their forme they be universall yet in their sense they are particular and must be restrained by their matter The Papists take them without any limitation in a most ample sense to gain credit to the Popes infallibility Others in opposition to them girt them up too short and say that our Saviours meaning was that the people should obey them in all things which they taught out of the law of Moses But if this were all the meaning then they had been bound to hearken to these Doctors sitting in Moses chayre no further than to every Iustice sitting on the bench than to every Taylor sitting on his shopboard yea and then the flock were no more bound to obey their Pastor than the Pastor were to obey his flock for if they admonish them to do any thing which is commanded in Moses law they were bound to obey it not because they said it but because Moses did say it before And if we thus construe the words then what shall become of this illation of our Saviour because they sit in Moses seate therefore whatsoever they bid you doe doe it But what then is the meaning of these words viz. That they should obey them in all things belonging to the place and authority of Moses his successours In omnibus ad Cathedram