Shepard - Houston-Packer Collection BV4500 .S43 1657

-for a time ofLiberty. Chrift, who are unable, and unfit to be all Rulers them - felves; and to caft off rhefe, or not to be ruled by thcfe ; i . to cafe off~CLrift. Luke to. 16. He that rejetlethyou, re- jei-eth me. Numb. 16. 3. Tou..re gathered together againft the Lord; The Lord accounts hirufelfoppof d and refi- tted, when the Officers of his Church are flighted, and their government; defpifed. .uefl. What is this power? Quei`t. ha9ln. r. Negatively r. his not any Lordly pompous Anfv. t. power, to bear the bell of great fmoaltie titles, to govern in worldly pomp; or by worldly rewards, and civil! punifhmcnts. 2 Cor. s o: 4. Tile weaponsof our warfaw-e are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pilling down of firong holds. It(ball not befo with you, faith Chrift; brit as I have been without all world?"yflate, fo muft you be one to another. Andrhence, i Peter 5. 4. Nct being Lords over Gods heritage : Chrift nevergave his Miniftcrs power of opening and (hutting the doors ofNew -gate, and Bonnet-i CoIehoufe if they would not fubfcribe, or to confute mens opinions with their own lawes, and bind conici- erces with chaines of Iron, or to promotehis fervants by fpirituall livings. Chrift himfelf refuted to be a Judge i cyill caufes ; hence fame of our Divines, when they wouldgrant ti-at Peter was Chrij?s fucceffor, and the Bi- (hop ofRome Peters and Chrifts Vicar; yet as Chrifc being on earth, exercifed ro civili power, to much lets may theie. 'Tis not any Anrichriftian i!ii ìoated power, viZ. to have power over many Churches (for than the main fpi- ritual Antichriftian externall power) and the Minifters thereof; for we read in Scriptureor many Elders and Bifhops in the fame Church, Ails ao: aft. but never of any one ordinary Minifter,or Officer over nianyChurches; either to govern, or to baptize, as the Anabaptif s would among them , as many godly plead for now in the mifty confufion of England. And look as we cry out ofone Mi if `r non-ref dent, that fhall have fixor ten livings, though he give never f:) good a flipend; not only becante of his pride and covetouinef e, but becaufe of his uncon- fcionebieneffe, vcc.So here much more ofone man 0,7::r- feet over many congregations,it ma) bean hundred aticaft 3. 'Tis not any Magifterial power, Diotrephes-like ;ei- 3. ther to do what they will, Mar. 13.8. and their wills to be their law; No, Matti. 2.8. 2o, Tlach, all that I corn- f man 55 ----...« . _ .^. .. : r .r'.$'.`. , `-`'`=

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