A77366:100
A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their public fast, Novemb.…A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their publique fast, Novemb.…
A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their public fast, Novemb. 29. 1643. By William Bridge, sometimes fellow of Emanuel College in Cambridge, now preacher of Gods Word at Yarmouth.A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their publique fast, Novemb. 29. 1643. By VVilliam Bridge, sometimes fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, now preacher of Gods Word at Yarmouth.
London: printed for R. Dawlman, 1643
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now bel•ved in the Lord, there is none of all these three but have some power about Church-affairs; the Magistrate he hath his power, and therefore he is called a nursing Father; the Minister and Elder, he hath his power, therefore he is commanded [Greek or Hebrew], which signifieth both to feed and rule; The Congregation hath its power, and therefore well saith that blessed and learned man D. Whitaker, who is now in H•aven: If you consider1 the government of the Church in regard of its Head Christ, so it is Monarchical; if in regard of the Elders, so it is Aristocratical; if in regard of the people who have a power to choose their own Officers; it is Democratical: Whether this power of theirs be a matter of privilege or of jurisdiction, I dispute not now; but a power they have: a power the People, a power the Minister and Elder, a power the Magistrate; and if your line can be so drawn, as that every one of these three may have that native power which Jesus Christ hath left them by legacy, then have you drawn your line aright: view therefore your ground well.
Now bel•ved in the Lord, there is none of all these three but have some power about Church-affaires; the Magistrate he hath his power, and therefore he is called a nursing Father; the Minister and Elder, he hath his power, therefore he is commanded 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, whic• signifi•th both to feed and rul•; The Con•r•gation hath its power, and therefore well saith that blessed and learned man D. Whitaker, who is now in H•aven: If you consider1 the government of the Church in regard of its Head Christ, so it is Monarchicall; if in regard of the Elders, so it is Aristocraticall; if in regard of the people who have a power to choose their own Officers; it is Democraticall: Whether this power of theirs be a matter of priviledge or of jurisdiction, I dispute not now; but a power they have: a power the People, a power the Minister and Elder, a power the Magistrate; and if your line can be so drawn, as that every one of these three may have that native power which Jesus Christ hath left them by legacie, then have you drawn your line aright: view therefore your ground well.