Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	king_n	peace_n	realm_n	3,426	5	8.3632	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85281	The fifth monarchy, or Kingdom of Christ, in opposition to the beasts, asserted, by the Solemn League and Covenant, several learned divines, the late General and Army, (viz.) in their declaration at Muslebrough, August 1650. wherein the old cause is stated, appeals made, the Scottish blood spilt, and the banners yet in Westminster-Hall witnessing the great decision then given on Christs side. Also, by a letter from the officers of the Army in England, to their brethren in Ireland, the 11 of May, 1653. justifying on Christs accompt, the dissolution of the Parliament; and consonant thereunto, the Generals speech to those that succeeded in the government, the fourth of July following ...		1659 (1659)	Wing F890; Thomason E993_31; ESTC R207791	44,997	55

you have sought his face with us about the same that so we may further know through you his will concerning us And we shall not fail in this and all other opportunities to seek the Lord for you that you may be preserved from every evil to his glorious Kingdom that you may be kept blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke And we beseech you in the spirit of love and meekness to stir up all that fear God amongst whom you converse yea though of different judgments as to the form of Church-government to seek the Lord with us in these things for sure it cannot but be the desire of every one that is a living member of Christs body that the work of Christ should prosper and that all that fear the Lord may be of one heart and one mind in the things that concern his great affairs in a time when his work is to establish his own Kingdom in the ruine of BABYLON as in the apprehension of many of his people it is this day Thus presenting our most indeared affection to you we heartily recommend you into the Bosome of Jesus Christ and rest Your Christian Friends and fellow Souldiers White-hall May 20. 1650. To all our dear Friends and fellow-Souldiers that fear the Lord. Will. Constable William Roe Rich. Sa●key Griffith Lloyd T. Harrison He. Haynes Will. Style Stephen White Nath. Rich W. Stane Tobias Bridge Nic. Lockier Edw Whalley Will. Goffe Jo. Merreman Thomas Hancock Charles Fleetwood Azariah Husbands Will. Gough George Joyce Tho. Pride John Blackwel Edw. Orpin Tho. Else Math. Tomlinson Jo. Mason Robert Barrow Tho. Bayley John Okey Jenkin Lloyd Samson Larke Isaac Knight Paul Sismey We desire that what Return you make hereof be directed to Colonel Barkestead at White-Hall to be by him communicated to the Officers at the Head-quarters A DECLARATION OF The English ARMY now in SCOTLAND TO The people of SCOTLAND especially those a mong them that know and fear the LORD We the Officers and Souldiers of the English Army do send Greeting AT the beginning of the great and wonderful workings of GOD in these two Nations of England and Scotland we the Under-Officers and Souldiers of the English Army now in Scotland were most of us if not all men of private Callings and not at all interested in matters of Publick and State-affairs but yet very many of us in whom the Lord had begun to reveal himself in the Face of Jesus Christ were sensible of the ANTICHRISTIAN Tyranny that was exercised by the late King and his Prelates over the Coxsciences Bodies and Estates of the true Spiritual Church of Jesus Christ namely those that were born again and united to him hy his Spirit who were then by that Antichristian crew termed Puritans Sectaries Schismaticks c. and for not conforming to all the Canons and Ordinances of their Nation-Church were frequently imprisoned banished and otherwise grievously molested at the pleasure of those that then ruled amongst us Under these sad sufferings of the people of God our souls mourned and understanding by the manifold gracious promises in the Word of God that a time of deliverance was to be expected to the Church of CHRIST and destruction and ruine to BABYLON Our hearts together with all truly godly in England were exceedingly stirred up to pray to the Lord even day and night that he would Arise to dectroy ANTICHRIST and to save his people Whilst this Spirit of Prayer was poured forth upon Gods people in England attempts are made upon Scotland to bring them to a conformity in religious Worship by endeavouring to impose upon them a Popish Service-Book which was through the great goodness of God by his people in Scotland rejected which made the wrath of the late King and his Prelates wax so hot against them so as Scotland had no other way to preserve it self but by coming into England with an Army which the godly in England did not then count an Invasion to destroy England no more then they do this our present march for the ruine of Scotland but rejoyced to see some appearing against that ANTICHRISTIAN power that had persecuted the Saints and were assured That the LORD was come forth to answer the many Prayers and Tears that were then poured and pouring forth for that purpose and therefore so far as we had any opportunity farthered the designs of that Army some of us hazzarding our lives by spreading their Book intituled The SCOTS INTENTIONS and pleading for the justness of their Proceedings Let us remember how the Lord was pleased gratiously to answer the prayers of his people at that time in their deliverance from the Army raised by the late King and his Prelates for the destruction of all the people of God in England and Scotland insomuch That soon after Scotland sits in Peace enjoying their former Liberties without being imposed upon by the Antichristian Prelacy in England and England obtains a Parliament to whom they have opportunity to complain of their grievances and through the great goodness of God so constituted that grievances are heard and overtures made to the late King for their redress which was so irksome to his Oppressing Tyrannical and Bloody Spirit that he again betook himself to overthrew the Parliament by force and to that end entertains the Officers of the Army that had gone forth against our Brethren of Scotland and withdrawing himself from his Parliament an appearance of a Civil War begins which being made known to us the inseriout Officers and Souldiers of this Army then in our private Callings we found our hearts extraordinarily stirred up by the LORD to assist the Parliament against the King being abundantly satisfied in our judgments and consciences that we were called forth by the Lord to be instrumental to bring about that which was our continual prayer to God viz. The DESTRUCTION of ANTICHRIST and the deliverance of his CHURCH and PEOPLE And upon this simple accompt we engaged not knowing the deep policies of worldly Statesmen and have ever since hazarded our lives in the high places of the field where we have seen the wonders of the Lord against all the opposers of this work of Jesus Christ whom we have all along seen going with us and making our way plain before us And having these things singly in our eye namely the destrustion of Antichrist the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ the Deliverance and Reiormation of his Church in the Establishment of his Ordinances amongst them in purity according to his Word and the just civil Liberties of Englishmen we did many of us rejoyce at the Covenant because we found in it a strain towards these ends although some being more enlightned did apprehend it to be so mixt with worldly interest that they justly feared the interest of JESUS CHRIST would be onely pretended to and the interests of this world yea of ANTICHRIST himself carried under a vizard as we have since had abundant experience

of which hath made us we confess not to idoliz the Covenant as we fear too many do though we trust it will appear before God Angels and Men that we shall ever pursue its true and lawful ends according to the plain candid meaning thereof though we do not upon every occasion urge the Covenant as we see every party though as far different as light and darkness apt to do the Lord having by his Word and by his Spirit convinced us of our duty therein though there had been no such Covenant at all entred into But when we saw that under pretence of the Covenant a corrupt party in Parliament by their worldly policy after the War was ended in England and the late Kings party subdued with the loss of thousands of the lives of Saints whose death is precious in the sight of the Lord did endeavour to set up the King upon his own terms and with him to establish a National Church Government not in all things agreeable to the WORD OF GOD but is destructive to the just Liberties of the true Spiritual Church of Christ which he hath by his own most precious blood purchased for them and is now come forth to bestow upon them which did sufficiently demonstrate it self by the dealings of the then Master-builders with the Churches of Jesus Christ in and about London that were then threatned to be dissolved and Laws made to prevent the Communion of Saints with one another except only in that one publick Form then about to be established to the astonishment of many of us that had lifted up our hands to God and sworn to endeavour a Reformation according to the Word of God and therefore after much waiting upon God by prayer and examining our own hearts about the ends and sincerity thereof we were abundantly satisfied that it was not onely lawful but our duty to keep our Arms in our hands till the ends beforementioned should be accomplished and to that purpose the Army whereof we are a part did refuse to disband did march up to London to propose to the Parliament a way of Establishment that might be more for the carrying on of the ends of Religion and Liberty though therein we were not at that time successful yet most wonderfully and graciously preserved by the Lord and extraordinarily convinced after much seeking the Face of God that our failing was in endeavouring to set up the King upon any terms he being a man of so much blood that the Lord would have no peace with him nor any that should go about to establish him Whereupon after his own hard heart had hindred him from yeilding to any overtures that were made to him by the Parliament through whom all the Armies Proposals were to be tendered and a second War more dangerous then the former contrived by him and his Son now with you together with those in Scotland that ●…ated us of the Army of England under the name of Sectaries being by the unspeakable goodness and mighty power of God waded through and a second testimony given from Heaven to justifie the proceedings of his poor servants against that bloody Antichristian brood though with the loss of many precious Saints we were then powerfully convinced that the Lords purpose was to deal with the late King as a man of blood And being perswaded in our consciences That he and his Monarchy was one of the ten horns of the Beast spoken of Rev. 17.12,13,14,15 and being witnesses to so much of the innocent blood of the Saints that he had shed in supporting the Beast and considering the loud cries of the souls of the Saints under the Altar we were extraordinarily carryed forth to desire Justice upon the King that man of blood And to that purpose petitioned our Superiour Officers and the Parliament to bring him to Justice which accordingly by an high hand of Providence was brought to pass which Act we are confident the Lord will own in preserving the Commonwealth of England against all Kingdoms and Nations that shall adventure to meddle with them upon that account When God executes his judgements upon Malefactors let none go about to resist When he brings forth those his Enemies that will not suffer Jesus Christ to be King in the midst of his Saints and breaks them in pieces like a Potters vessel let not Scotland nor any other Nation say What dost thou We fear they have been too busie already the Lord that sees the secrets of all hearts knows the compliance of Scotland with the late Kings Issue now with you was in order to disturb the Peace of England for being Gods Executioners upon a bloody Tyrant and a supporter of the Throne of the Beast But blessed be the Lord the crafty are taken in their own suare England sits in peace whilst Scotland receives into their chief City their new King at the very hour wherein an Army had marched 300 miles is sacing them at the very gates We wish our Brethren of Scotland especially those that truly fear the Lord would consider these things and not slight the Providences of God so much as they do When Scotland chose new gods and would have a King out of a Family that God had rejected then was War in the Gates And though we do not think Providences alone a sufficient rule for Gods people to walk by yet we do know that the Lord speaks to his people by his Providence as well as by his Word and he is angry with his people that do not take notice thereof and promiseth blessing to those that do Psa 107. and the latter end And here give us leave not in a boasting spirit but in meekness and fear to tell you That we are perswaded we are poor unworthy instruments in Gods hand to break his Enemies and preserve his people You have acknowledged us in your own papers to be a rod of iron to dash in pieces the Malignants but withal say We must now be broken in pieces because we now set our selvs against the Lor of Gods inheritance Let us here speak for our selves yea the Lord speak for us who knows our hearts and all our ways we value the Churches of Jesus Christ who are the Lot of Gods inheritance ten thousand times above our own lives yea we do bless the Lord we are not onely a Rod of Iron to dash the common enemies in pieces but also a hedge though very unworthy about Christs Vineyard and if we know our own hearts where ever the Lot of Gods inheritance shall appear to be found in Scotland we shall think it our duty to the utmost hazard of our lives to preserve the same But if there be any that have taken counsel together against the Lord and against his Anoynted whom the Lord hath decreed to set upon his holy Hill of Zion we are perswaded the Lord hath brought us hither as instruments through which he will speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore

withal that he is so neer the enjoyment of his Kingdom Page 44. Jesus Christ wins ground of us every day and works us up age after age to a further Reformation to more light and holiness and so he will do till he hath perfectly overcome every Popish Principle out of them Page 57. I am confident of it that Christ that King of Saints that is in heaven he will not rest till such time as he hath made us one if not injudgment yet in forbearance and that if we will not take warning and will not agree it that either Antichrist or Jesus Christ himself will come in upon us and we shall be made to do it one way or other Page 58. I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it And you that are the Governours of Judah shall be as a hearth of fire amongst the wood and a torch of fire in a sheaf all that oppose you and rise up against you shall be but as so many straws Take a sack of Straw great for Bulk and lay it upon a few coales of fire upon a hearth and what will become of them all though they cover the fire a while yet they will soon be consumed and burnt up Page 42 43. The Saints have vouchsafed them by God a priviledge in ruling and governing this world and the Providences of God therein they are Privy-Counsellours to the great King of kings who governs all the States Kingdoms of this world And God doth give the Saints a Commission to set up and pull down by their prayers and intercessions The old Testament speaks in a high language Esa 45.11 Concerning the work of my hands command you me Who speaks this the words before are Thus saith the holy One of Israel c. it would have been blasphemy for us to have said it Then he goes on bringing in the Lord speaking thus Behold I that am thus your Maker give you leave to dispose by your prayers the great works of my hands which concern my children my sons the affairs of Kingdoms even so far as they relate to their good and saith upon this occasion he raised up Cyrus and pulled down the Babylonian Monarchy because they by their prayers had sought this Further Dr. Owen in his Sermon Heb. 12.27 Page 14. All the present States of the world are cemented together by Antichristian lime and unless they be so shaken as to have every cranny searcht and brusht there will be no quiet habitations for Lord Christ and his people Page 25 The Heavens and the Earth of the Nations in their present constitution are directly formed to the interest of Antichrist which by notable advantages at their first moulding and continued insinuation ever since hath so riveted it self into the very Fundamentals of them that no digging or myning without an Earthquake will cast up the Foundation stones thereof Page 35. Is it not evident to him that hath but half an eye that the whole present constitution of the Governments of the Nations is so cemented with Antichristian Morter from the very top to the bottom that without a thorough shaking they cannot be cleansed And a little after This onely is certain it the said shaking shall not stop nor receive its period before the interest of Antichristianity be wholly separated from the power of these Nations And further saith that no Atonement shall be made for the blood of the Saints slain under the notion of Hereticks nor expiation be allowed whilst a toe of the Image or bone of the Beast is left unbroken And again that which doth and shall stick upon Potentates to their ruine is not so much their own or any other interest as the very dregs of this Papal Antichristian interest thrust into their Oaths and Obligations for no other end in the world but to keep the Lord Jesus out of his Throne In the Book that gives an account of New Englands settlement and some Laws for Government publisht for the use of that Colony printed London 56. Though they humbly acknowledge that the supreme power of making Laws and of repealing of them belongs to God onely and that by him this power is given to Jesus Christ as Mediator Mat. 28.19 John 5.22 and that the Laws for holiness and righteousness are already made given us in the Scriptures which in matters moral or of moral equity may not be altered by humane power or authority Moses onely shewed Israel the Laws and Statutes of God and the Sanhedrim the highest Court amongst the Jews must attend those Laws Yet Civil Courts and Rulers are the Ministers of God for the good of the people and have power to declare publish and establish the Laws he hath made In Fox's Martyrol 1 Volume p. 139. is recorded an Epistle of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome sent to K. Lucius the first Christian K in England 169. You require of us the Roman Laws and the Emperours to be sent over to you that you may practise the same and put them in ure within your Realm The Roman Laws and Emperours we may reprove but the Law of God we may not ye have received of late through Gods mercy in the Realm of Brittany the Law and faith of Christ you have with you within the Realm both the parts of the Scriptures out of them by Gods grace with the Counsel of your Realm take ye a Law and by that Law through Gods sufferance rule your kingdom according to the saying of the Psalmist O God give thy judgments to the King and thy justice to the Kings son he said not The judgment and 〈…〉 The Letter of the General Council of the Army to their Brethren in their several Quarters and Garisons upon their march into Scotland 1650. Dear Christian Friends AS it hath pleased our heavenly Father to call both you and us in these latter days to wait upon him in his great and terrible works so the glory of his appearances hath been exceeding great in those Services And we trust the record of his Love is kept with delight in your heart as we desire it may be upon our own for ever And surely the true use of those precious Experiments wherewith he hath enriched us in this work is to strengthen our Faith and quicken our hearts to a more cheerful attendance on Christ in what further Service he shall appoint us To what End cends that wonderful return of the Pr●…ers of his people in those continued and swift Successes God hath afforded our Brethren in IRELAND but to quicken us to a lively improvement of our interest in Christ by taking those pledges of his Love as means to raise our hearts to expect much more And what can be expected less from us after all such full meals of Mercies but to be strengthened to Conflect with

Room and the heat of the weather I shall contract my self with respect to that Series of Providence in the Nation I have not thought it amiss a little to mind you of that Series of Providence wherein the Lord hitherto hath dispensed wonderful things to these Nations from the beginning of our Troubles to this very day If I should look much backward we might remember the state of affairs as they were before the short and that which was the last Parliament in what a posture the things of this Nation stood doth so well I presume occur to all your memories and knowledges that I shall not need to look so far backward nor yet to the beginning of those Hostile actions that past between the King that was and the then-Parliament And indeed should I begin this labour the things that would fall necessarily before you would rather be fit for a History then for a Discourse at this present But thus far we may look back Winnowing the Army You very well know after divers turnings of affairs it pleased God much about the midst of this War to winnow as I may so say the Forces of this Nation and to put them into the hands of men of other Principles then those that did engage at the first By what strange providences that also was brought about would ask more time then is allotted me to remember you of Indeed there are Stories that do recite those transactions and give Narratives of matter of fact but those things wherein the life and power of them lay those strange windings and turnings of Providence those very great appearances of God in crossing and thwarting the designes of men that he might raise up a poor and contemptible company of men neither vers'd in Military affairs nor having much natural propensity to them The life and power of the work lay in the Armies owning a principle of godlieness even through the OWNING OF A PRINCIPLE OF GODLINESS of Religion which so soon as it came to be owned the state of affairs put upon that foot of account how God blest them and all undertakings by the rising of that most improbable despicable contemptible means for that we must for ever own you very well know What the several successes have been is not fit to mention at this time neither though I must confess I thought to have enlarged my self upon this Subject Considering Providence a special duty and a means to strengthen faith for future forasmuch as the CONSIDERING the WORKS of GOD and the OPERATION OF HIS HANDS is a principal part of our duty and a great encouragement to the strengthning of our hands and of our faith for that which is behinde And then having given us those marvellous dispensations amongst other ends for that was a most principal end as to us in this revolution of affairs and issues of those Successes God was pleased to give this Nation and the Authority that then stood were very great things brought about besides those dints that were upon those Nations and places where they were carryed on even in the Civil affairs to the bringing offenders to justice even the GREATEST to the bringing the state of this Government to the Name at least of a Commonwealth to the searching and sifting of all Places and Persons Proceeds with King Peers and Commons the KING removed and brought to justice and many great ones with him the House of PEERS laid aside the House of COMMONS the Representative of the people of England it self winnowed sifted and brought to a handful as you may very well remember And truly God would not rest there for by the way although it be fit for us to entitle our failings and miscarriages to our selves yet the gloriousness of the work may well be attributed to God himself and may be called His strange work You may remember well that at the change of the Government there was not an end of our Troubles although that year were such things transacted Memorable 1648. as indeed made it to be the most MEMORABLE YEAR I mean 1648. that ever this Nation saw so many Insurrections Invasions secret Designes open and publick Attempts quash'd in so short a time and this by the very signal appearances of God himself I hope we shall never forget You know also as I said before that as the effect of that Memorable year 1648. was to lay the Foundation of bringing Delinquents to punishment so it was of the change of the Government although it be true if we had time to speak the carriages of some in trust in most eminent trust was such as would have frustrated to us the hopes of all our undertakings had not God miraculously prevented Closure with King God prevented I mean by that Closure that would have been endeavoured with the King whereby we should have put into his hands all that Cause and Interest we had opposed and had had nothing to have secured us but a little piece of Paper Nations exercise finished at Worcester 1651. But things going on how it pleased the Lord to keep this Nation in exercise both at Sea and Land and what GOD wrought in Ireland and Scotland you likewise know until the Lord had finisht all that trouble upon the matter by the marvellous salvation wrought at WORCESTER I confess to you I am very much troubled in my spirit that the necessity of affairs doth require that I should be so short in these things because I told you before This is the leanest part of the Transaction to wit an Historical Narration there being in every Dispensation whether the Kings going from the Parliament the pulling down the Bishops purging the House at that time by their going away to assist the King change of Government whatever it was not any of those things but hath a remarkable point of Providence set upon it that he that runs may read Therefore I am heartily sorry that in point of time I cannot be particular in those things which I did principally desigue this day thereby to provoke and stir up your hearts and mine to gratitude and confidence Passages since Worcester I shall now begin a little to remember you the PASSAGES that have been transacted since WORCESTER sight whence coming with my Fellow-Officers and Souldiers we expected and had some reasonable confidence that our expectations should not be frustrate That the Authority that then was having such a History to look back unto such a God that appeared for them so eminently so visibly that even our enemies many times confess'd that God himself was engaged against them or they should never have been brought so low nor disappointed in every undertaking for that may be said by the way had we miscarried but once where had we been Expectations of returns worthy such mercies advancing the true interest on the three Nations I say We did think and had some reasonable confidence that coming up then the