Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	apostle_n	paul_n	peter_n	3,162	5	7.5520	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78056	Religions peace: or, A plea for liberty of conscience. Long since presented to King James, and the High Court of Parliament then sitting, / by Leonard Busher citizen of London, and printed in the year 1614. Wherein is contained certain reasons against persecution for religion, also a designe for a peaceable reconciling of those that differ in opinion.	Busher, Leonard.; H. B.	1646 (1646)	Wing B6251; Thomason E334_7; ESTC R200599	43,040	46

good Christians for besides Demos the worldling and Hymeneus the blasphemer and many other sorts of indifferent Christians excommunicants covetous and profane persons there are notable Rebels and Traytors yea most cruell and desperate Traytors and Rebels as Digby Catesby Piercy c. whose unread and unheard treachery will never be forgotten which persons if they had not bin forced to Church against their consciences had never enterprized such horrible and hatefull treason And the Bishops should understand that it is preaching and not persecuting that getteth people to the Church of Christ for the Scripture saith Rom. 10.17 Faith is by hearing and bearing by the word of God and not by the sword of Princes and Magistrates as they perswade and practice And therefore the Bishops of our land are truly called Antichrists for by their beastly and bloody persecution as well as by their blasphemous titles erroneous doctrines and popish government may they justly be termed Antichrists Mat. 24. 2 Thes 2. 1 Tim. 4. 2 Pet. 2. Eleventhly because Christ foretold That many false Christs and false Prophets should arise and deceive many yea if it were possible the very elect and the Apostle Paul did prophecy a departure from the faith And Peter said There should be false teachers now among the people And John said the Kings should give their power and authority unto the beast Rev. 57.13 17 untill the words of God be fulfilled therefore if persecution be not laid downe and liberty of the Gospel set up you may persecute the true Christians in stead of the false as your predecessors have done for they are now like as they were then the smallest number and the false Christians are now like as they were then the greatest number and persecution is a notable mark of the false Church and her Bishops and ministers Gal. 2.3 4. 5.11 6.12 and therefore Christ would have us flee from it who overcame the devill and his Ministers by the word of God and by a good meek and gentle life whose steps his Bishops and Ministers ought to follow Twelfthly because persecution of such as do preach and teach Christ is a great hinderance to the liberty of the Gospel Note False Bishops reach Turkes and Pagans to persecute Christians For thereby are the Iews Turks and Pagans occasioned and encouraged to persecute likewise all such as preach and teach Christ in their Dominions For if christian Kings and Magistrates will not suffer Christians to preach and preach the Gospel of Christ freely and peaceably in their Dominions how should you expect it of the infidells unto whom Bishops and christian Kings and Magistrates ought to give a good example and not an evill as to burn banish hang and Imprison peaceable and godly christians that are no traytors nor theeves nor fighters nor manslayers nor yet swearers nor drunkards nor whoremasters nor such like And the King and Parliament may please to permit all sorts of Christians yea Jews Turks and Pagans so long as they are peaceable and no malefactors as is above-mentioned which if they be found to be under two or three witnesses let them be punished according to Gods word also if any be found to be willing lyers false accusers false alledgers and quoters of the Scriptures or other mens writings as some men willingly do let them be punished according to right and justice it is due desert no persecution but let Gods word have his ful and free passage among them all even to the end of their lives in all bountifulness long-sufferance and patience knowing that it is ordained of Gods rich mercy to lead the infidels and such as erre unto repentance and amendment Rom. 2.4 2 Tit. 2.25 out of the snare of the devil of whom they are taken and deceived Thirteenthly because persecution for Religion is to force the conscience and to force and constrain men and womens consciences to a Religion against their wils is to tyranize over the soul as well as over the body and herein the Bishops commit a greater sin then if they force the bodies of women and maids against their wills yea 2 Cor. 11.2 herein they are more cruell and greater tyrants then the Turks False Bishops worse then Turks and Pagans who though they force the bodies of strangers to slavery and bondage yet they let the conscience go free yea to Christians that are so contrary to them in Religions but these Idol-bishops will force the consciences of Christians their own naturall Countrymen Note False Bishops spirituall fornication 2 Thess 2.4 1 Cor 6.19 20. and 2 Cor. 6.16 17. with Rev. 18.4 2 Pet. 2.1 1 Pet. 1.19 even unto spirituall bondage and slavery and herein they commit fornication both with Prince and people and have made all both small and great to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads so that no man may buy or sell save he that will goe to Church and submit to the Bishops ordinances and name and mark of their beastly and bloody persecution through which as God they sit in and reigne over the consciences both of Prince and people which is the spirituall seat and temple of God bought at a dear price even with the precious blood of their onely spirituall Lord Jesus Messiah the true Shepheard and bishop of their soules And the Bishops in forcing men and womens consciences doe therein play the Antichrist so well as the Popes and indeed there is never a Bishop in the land but is a Pope for Pope in latin is Papa and Papa signifieth Father in English all the Bishops in our land are called reverend Fathers therefore all the Bishops in our land are called reverend Popes so many Lord Bishops so many reverend Fathers so many reverend Popes If Idolaters ought to be slain then ought all those that submit and yeeld spirituall obedience and reverence unto these Bishops to be slain who then should remain in land alive Rev. 17.13 and these are all so many Antichrists so many Idols and so many false Gods of England how many are thy Gods whom thou dost serve For whose spirituall adoration the knee of every man and woman must bow or else they shall be persecuted unto whom the King ought not any longer to give his authority and power lest hee fulfill the Scripture which saith that Kings should give their power and authority unto the beast Fourteenthly because the burning banishing hanging and imprisoning of men and women by Protestants for difference of Religion do justifie the burning banishing and imprisoning of men and women by the Papists for difference of religion even as the Papists doe justifie the Turks and Pagans in such like cruelty and tyranny wherein now is the Protestants more mercifull then the Papists or the Papists then the Turks Therefore as the Papists when they complain of the Turks and Pagans for their bloody persecution doe therein condemn themselves because they