Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	abide_v	abimelech_n	contrary_a	37	3	6.6064	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43300	Persecution for religion judg'd and condemned in a discourse between an antichristian and a Christian : proving by the law of God and of the land, and by King James his many testimonies, that no man ought to be persecuted for his religion, so he testifie his allegiance by the oath appointed by law.	Helveys, Thomas, 1550?-1616?	1662 (1662)	Wing H1413A; ESTC R30775	68,908	82

extends no further than over the body or goods and to that which is external for over the Soul God will not suffer any man to rule only He himself will rule there Therefore wheresoever the Civil Magistrate doth undertake to give Laws unto the Soul and Consciences of men he usurpeth that Government to himself which appertaineth to God c. The same upon 1 King 6. In building of the Temple there was no sound of Iron heard to signifie that Christ will have in his Church a free and willing People not compelled and constrained by Laws and statutes Again he saith upon Luke 22. It is not the true Catholick Church which is defended by the Seculare arm or Humane power but the false and feigned Church which although it carries the name of a Church yet it denyes the power thereof And upon Psal 17. he saith For the true Church of Christ knoweth not Brachium Seculare which the Bishops now a dayes chiefly use Again in Postil Dom. 1. post Epiph. he saith Let not Christians be commanded but exhorted for he that will not willingly do that whereunto he is friendly exhorted he is no Christian Therefore those that do compel them that are not willing shew thereby that they are not Christian Preachers but worldly Beadles Again upon 1 Pet. 3. he saith If the Civil Magistrate would command me to believe thus or thus I should answer him after this manner Lord or Sir look you to your Civil or worldly Government your Power extends not so far to command any thing in Gods Kingdom therefore herein I may not hear you For if you cannot suffer that any man should usurp Authority where you have to command how do you think that God should suffer you to thrust him from his seat and to seat your self therein The Puritans as appeareth in their Answer to Admonit to Parl. pag. 109. That Papists nor others neither constrainedly nor customally communicate in the mysteries of Salvation Also in their Supplication printed 1609 pag. 21 c. much they write for Toleration Lastly the Papists the inventers of Persecution in a wicked Book lately set forth thus they write Moreover the means which Almighty God appointed his Officers to use in the conversion of Kingdoms and People was Humility Patience Charity c. Saying Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves Mat. 10.16 He did not say I send you as wolves among sheep to kill imprison spoil and devour those unto whom they were sent Again ver 7. he saith They to whom I send you will deliver you up in Councils and in their Synagogues they will scourge you and to Presidents and to Kings shall you be led for my sake He doth not say You whom I send shall deliver the people whom you ought to convert into Councils and put them in Prisons and lead them to Presidents and Tribunal Seats and make their Religion Felony and Treason Again he saith ver 12. When ye enter into the house salute it saying Peace be to this house He doth not say You shall send Pursevants to sansack and spoyl the house Again lie saith Joh. 10. The good Pastor giveth his life for his sheep the Thief cometh not but to steal kill and destroy He doth not say the Thief giveth his life for his sheep and the good Pastor cometh not but to steal kill and destroy c. So that we holding our peace our Adversaries themselves speak for us or rather for the Truth CHAP. 9. It is no prejudice to the Commonwealth if freedom of Religion were suffered but would make it flourish BE pleased not to hearken to mens leasings but to what God and Experience teacheth in this thing Abraham abode among the Canaanites a long-time yet contrary to them in Religion Gen. 13.7 and 16.3 Again He sojourned in Gerar and King Abimelech gave him leave to abide in his Land Gen. 20 21.33 34. Isaac also dwelt in the same Land yet contrary in Religion Gen. 26. Jacob lived twenty years in one house with his uncle Laban yet differed in Religion Gen. 31. The People of Israel were 430 years in that famous Land of Egypt and afterwards 70 years in Babylon all which times they differed in Religion from the States Exod. 12. and 2 Chron. 36. Come to the time of Christ where Israel was under the Romans where lived divers sects of Religions as Herodians Scribes and Pharifees Saduces Libertines Theudaeans Samaritans besides the common Religion of the Jews Christ and his Apostles all which differed from the common Religion of the State which is like was the Worship of Diana which almost the whole world then worshipped Act. 19.20 All these lived under the Government of Caesar being nothing-hurtfull to the State and Commonwealth for they gave unto Caesar that which was his and for Religion to God he left them to themselves as having no dominion therein And when the enemies of the Truth raised up any Tumults the wisdom of the Magistrates most wisely appeased them as Acts 18.14 c. and 19.35 c. Again be pleased to look into the neighbour Nations who tolerate Religion how their Wealths and States are governed many sorts of Religions are in their Dominions yet no trouble of State no Treason no hinderance at all of any good but much prosperities brought unto their Countries they having all one harmony in matters of State giving unto Caesar his due and for Religion they suffer one another If any object the Troubles of France Germany c. We answer They are such as have been procured by the learned but most bloody Jesuites who seek to establish their Religion by blood for subversion of whom your Wisdoms are wise to deal in Yet be pleased not to let faithful Subjects be punished for their wickedness But let most severe Laws be made for the maintenance of Civil and humane Peace and Welfare as to your Majesty and others shall seem expedient And if it be well observed it is the Learned that raised up all the bloody Wars among the Princes of the Earth CHAP. 10. King are not deprived of any Power given them of God when they maintain Freedom for cause of Conscience WE know the Learned do perswade that Kings have power from God to maintain the Worship and Service of God as they have power to maintain Right and Justice between man and man For Christian Kings say they have the same power that the Kings of Israel had under the Law For answer to which First let it be observed the Kings of Israel had never power from God to make new Laws or set up new Worships which Gods Word required not nor to set high Priests or Spiritual Lords for the performance of the Services other than such as God by Moses expresly had commanded and therefore the power of the Kings of Israel will warrant to Kings to make or confirm Canons set up new Worships and appoint Spiritual Lords and Law givers to the

Princes the other Subjects and Subjects must be obedient Ch. Most true it is but is it not also true that Princes must afford all their Subjects Justice and Equity although they be as Heathens and Publicans For if Princes be freed from doing Right and Justice and protecting their Subjects that be excommunicated why are not Subjects also freed from Subjection and Allegiance to their Princes being excommunicated if Excommunication be Christ's Law to all alike that will be saved without respect of persons And also Is not that Law of Christ herein to be observed That whatsoevr ye would men should do unto you even so do ye unto them Mat. 7.12 And therefore as Princes would that all their Subjects should be faithfull and obedient unto them so ought Princes to be just and equal to all their Subjects in maintaining them in every just and equal cause between man and man For For this cause not for Religion saith the Apostle the Saints at Rome payed Tribute to Caesar their Heathen Prince who was against them in Religion Shall they not escape Damnation for this accursed doctrine and practice and think ye you shall Thou that judgest another judgest thou not thy self By this it may appear as also by exceeding many other doctrines and practices how near you are to that bloody spiritual power what pretences to the contrary soever you make Ant. It were a lamentable thing if that bloody Religion should be practised again in this Nation Ch. I acknowledge it a bloody Religion but God hath cast down the Power thereof in this Kingdom blessed be his Name but I would you could see your own cruel bloody Religion But that God of his mercy hath restrained it by the Kings Majesty who thirsteth not after blood How many only for seeking Reformation in Religion have been put to death by your Power in the dayes of Qu. Elizabeth and how many both then and since have been consumed to death in Prisons Yea since that cruel spiritual Power hath been set up hath not Hanging Burning Exile Imprisonments and all manner of contempt been used and all for Religion although some for grievous Errours and yet you see not this to be a bloody Religion Further You cry out of their bloody Cruelty the reason is because you will not be of their Religion And when you have done your selves are most bloody and cruel so far as is in your power because we and all men will not not be of your Religion Ant. If men hold Errors and will not obey the Truth do they not sin against God and deserve punishment Ch. Yes such deserve punishment but God hath appointed their punishment and the time thereof Their punishment Rom. 2.8 9. To them that are contentions and disobey the Truth and obey unrighteousness shall be Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish shall be upon the soul of every one that doth evil Mark 16.16 He that will not believe shall be damned 2 Thes 1.8 In flaming fire rendring Vengeance unto them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power The time thereof is mentioned in the last recited place ver 7. When the Lord Jesus shall shew Himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels And Rom. 2.5 The day of Wrath. And ver 16. At that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ And Mat. 13.40 41. At the end of this World the Son of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of Fire c. Here is shewed the Punisher the Punishment and the Time thereof This Punisher hath commanded you to wait for their repentance by his own example which is in his hands to give them and not to cut them off and send them to Hell as you teach and practise which is contrary to God who is patient towards mockers which walk after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3.3 Because he would have no man to perish but would that all men whatsoever should come to repentance But you contrary to Him use all means you can to cut men off that they might perish in that you seek to destroy their bodies whilst they remain in their errors Ant. I confess that God commandeth Matth. 13. that the good and bad must grow together unto the end of the World but that is in the Church Ch. Well if that be the true exposition I pray you why do you then excommunicate any out of your Church contrary to your own acknowledgment And here let all men take notice that by this Exposition you overthrow your own Excommunication quite and accuse Christ for giving a Rule Mat. 18. and the Apostle Paul and the Church of Corinth for practising that Rule 1 Cor. 5. in casting out of the Church For you say all must grow together to the end in the Church But the Exposition of the Law-giver himself is against you that the Field is the World ver 38. Yet in that you confess that the Wicked and the Godly must be let alone in the Church unto the end then much more in the World unto the end For if the Wicked pollute not the Church sure it is they pollute not the World This then you are commanded unto ver 29 30. Nay gather them not let them grow together unto the end of the World Ant. Let them come to Church and they shall grow together unto the end Ch. Indeed I think so Hereby you manifest you regard not how wicked and ungodly men be so they come to your Church you will not destroy them though they remain in their abominable lusts but if they will not come to your Church let them be Wheat or Tares you will gather them and as much as in you is send them to burning Herein all men may see as I said before that you seek your own Glory and Obedience and not Gods and so exalt your selves above God 2 Thess 2. Indif Well I bless God I see this as clearly as the Sun shining in his brightness That it is to fight against God to compel any contrary to their consciences to perform any service unto Him in that there are so many places of Scripture commanding the contrary Ch. The whole New Testament throughout in all the Doctrines and Practices of Christ and his Disciples teach no such thing as compelling men by Persecutions and Afflictions to obey the Gospel but the direct contrary viz. to suffer at the hands of the wicked when they were persecuted for Righteousness sake to suffer it when the unbelievers and wicked curse them to bless and pray for their repentance and that God would forgive them and never lay these sins to their charge as our Saviour Luke 23.34 Stephen Act. 7.60 and the rest did And for a conclusion