Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	christian_a	church_n	profess_v	3,448	5	8.0722	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42672	Tears shed in the behalf of his dear mother the Church of England, and her sad distractions gathered and brought into this small paper vessell for the use of the vulgar, and common people, not to play with religion / by her adopted son, Daniel Getsius ...	Getsius, Daniel, 1592-1672.	1658 (1658)	Wing G632; ESTC R31519	48,008	156

4.5 6 7 8. I have taught you statutes and judgements even as the Lord my God commanded me that you should do them in the Land where you go to possesse it Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdome and your understanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these statutes and say surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people for what nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes judgements so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day By these and the like Moses evidenceth that hee is not able to expresse the greatnesse of the blessing of the word which God doth grant to some nations it is a privy blessing which the Psalmist in a singular manner sets forth Psalm 147.19 20. Having mentioned many temporall blessings God had afforded to the Jews whereof some were 1. Common to them with other nations Vers 16.17 18. Snow hore-frost and Ice all for the fruitfullnesse of the earth in common to all good and bad within the pale of the Church and without 2. Peculiar to the Jews onely and the same 1. Temporall the building of their City ruined before by the Chaldaeans and the bringing them back out of the Babylonian Captivity Others were 2. Spirituall Vers 19 20. The giving to them his word wherein he reveals his will to his Church a favour not afforded to any nation besides The Jewes had three Crowns which made them renowned and famous The Crown of the Law King and Priest of all three the Crown of the Law was most glorious because by her Princes reign Prov. 8.15 16. David therefore meditat's therein night and day Psal 1.2 and makes the same his Councellour in the morning when he rose and at night when he went to bed Psal 119. I will adde one excellencie more assorded to this Nation before all others in the World 1. This Nation was one of the first received the Gospel 2. This Nation did yeeld to the first Christian Emperour Constantine the Great born at York who gave peace and honour to the Church 3. The third and greatest Light that did shine forth in darkest Popery to all the World was Wickliffe 4. The first royall Martyr was Oswald who united the two Crowns of England and Scotland after hee had much enlarged the bounds of Christs Kingdome with his own in the end exchanged his Princely Diadem for a Crown of Matyrdome and so signed the Christian faith with his royal bloud 5. It was the first Kingdome that shook Antichrist fully out of the Saddle Now besides these blessings afforded the Church Empires Kingdomes States and Commonwealths prosper and flourish with the Church God hath a speciall care of such Lands where his Church and true religion find entertainment The Kingdome of Israel flourished even to the admiration of others as long as true Religion flourished in the Church But assoon as they fell off from God and gloried onely in the Temple the place was turned into an heap of stones the people were dispersed without a King or Prophet or any shew of a people of God Asia was once famous through the World by reasō of the Churches in the same the fame of their faith sounded far and neer Their place now is become a Receptacle for Mahomet a Synagogue for Satan and a Temple for Turkish Idolatry That Nation then Empire Kingdome State flourisheth where the Church flourishes in maintayning the truth of the word CHAP. VI. Sins exposing a Church and Nation to the wrath of God 1. FIrst Barrennesse 2. Cruell Usage of his Saints and Messengers 3. Light esteem of the word of God These strip a Nation of those blessings wherewith God hath graced them and expose it to scorn and contempt 1. Barrennesse whether carnall or spiritual hath alwayes been accounted a Curse Johns Mother insinuateth the one Luke 1.25 The Lord hath looked on mee to take away my reproach amongst men and vvhen God gives salvation he is said to take avvay barrenesse Sing O barren thou that didst not bear Isa 54.1 But vvhat are our fruits the Catalogue of them vve have Gal. 5.19 20 21. vvorks of the flesh specially these variance hatred emulation vvrath strife sedition heresy envyings murther drunkenesse and revellings better to be barren then bring forth such fruits These vvere the fruits of Sion and Jerusalem the Jevvish Nation and Church in our saviours dayes therefore in his love to the people of Israel zeal of their salvation knowledge of their finall destruction at hand in grief and pity he burst out into tears Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day a passionate speech abrupt or broken off he could not speak out the rest for vveeping by reason of those things that were to come upon them Abundance of affectionate thoughts as it vvere thronging the heart like some violent presse of people at a door hinder each others passage he blames and vvithall pittyeth them O if thou hadst known at least in this thy day that is thy visitation this time wherein God calleth thee to repentance and offereth peace to thee understand hovv happy hadst thou been thou had'st escaped the determined destruction Our saviour shevveth the end of such barrenesse plainly John 15.1 In the parable of the Vine which speaketh of every one in the Church into vvhich they are implanted by Baptisme Wee 'l note these follovving degrees 1. They are barren bear no fruit this is the first step into Hell After vvhich 2. They are cut off from the Vine cut it dovvn saith Christ Luk. 13.7 Why cumbreth it the ground as if he should say they do vvith their bad example but marre others and make them unfruitfull 3. Being cut off from the Vine they are cast out of the Vineyard that is the Church they are not suffered to suck in Vaine the breasts of her Consolation nor partake of her prayers The Lord is moved to reject them his labour not being answered he vvill pull down the fence break dovvn the vvall leave his ovvn Vineyard to vvast ovvn it who will Isa 5.6 What more fearfull then for a man to be left by God to become a Lodge for Divels lusts and vvasting sins till at last by death he is cut off The Lord brings on them this judgement in manner follovving 1. By death cut him down bring the axe the pruning knife hath done no good hew him down by death from the Ministry under which he hath been so long fruitlesse 2. Taking away the meanes of fruitfullnesse the Clouds shall not rain upon it Isa 5.6 The means of salvation his word and Ministry shall be taken away 3. Blowing on the gifts they have already they shall doe them no good the unprofitable servant had his Talent taken away This curse is so eminent upon many

broaching false and hereticall doctrines 5ly Ambition and pride shall cause this to draw disciples after them Christ gives us two markes by their Garments and fruites not of life and manners so much as of doctrine Mat. 7.15 1. What are those sheepes Clothing Ans 1. In generall by clothing whose use is to cover we understand their close comming in their creeping into houses 2 Tim. 3.6 Their chiefest care is to cover hide and conceal at first that which they chiefly intend to bring in 2. Their good words and fair speeches by which they deceive the hearts of the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good words when a man maketh shew of much goodnesse in words but is nothing so in substance and deed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many good prayers and eloquent counterfeit zeal which hereticks and schismaticks use to draw the simple to their side and opinions Beware of such sugred and faire tongues thus such subtill Merchants do vent their bad wares shew their errours not naked but cloaked with good works and fair speeches Mat. 23.14 Thus did the Pharisees under pretence of long prayer devour widdows houses 3. Their using or rather abusing the Scripture wresting corrupting mayming eluding the same and thus with Satan the Arch-heretick they cover their errours Sub nomine Christi docent quae contraria sunt Christo nec mirum si aliquos seduci videamus ah his cum Dominus dixerit multos seducent Under the name of Christ they teach things contrary to Christ and shall we wonder to see some to be seduced by them when our Lord hath foretold they shall seduce many Ierom Aliunde suadere non possent de rebus fidei nisi ex rebus fidei Whence should they perswade matters of faith if it were not out of those writings of faith saith Tertullian Thus firmos fatigant infirmos capiunt medios cum scrupulo dimittunt They weary the strong take the weak and the middle sort they leave distracted with doubts 4. 2 Tim. 3.5 Fourthly formality is meant by Sheeps cloathing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the true forme and essence of Godlinesse but an outward conformitie a resemblance vizard or shew of holynesse All their outward carriage is so composed as if they onely were true Christians they professe Religion speak well of God of Christ and discourse well concerning outward righteousnesse and holynesse of life that if all Religion were to be measured by the outside they could not chuse but go for good Christians But what saith the Apostle of such Tit. 1.16 They professe indeed they know God but in works they deny him they expresse no such things in their lives and conversations they have onely drawn a fair glove over a foul hand such were Baals Priests 1 Kings 18.28 And the Pharisees Matth. 23.27 They made clean the outside that is Hypocrite-like they made much adoe about Ceremonies and outward indifferent things but for the inward and most necessary parts of Gods worship they are very careles The Apostle therefore in this place gives certain markes whereby we may try our own hearts and spirits then others It is a very hard thing to knovv a Hypocrite being a lurking sin so masked as there is little or no outvvard difference betvveen the sound and unsound They are very Divel-like vvho dare range every professor under this title and marke him vvith the black cole of Hypocrisy For though it be true that a Hypocrite must be a Professor yet it is false that every Professor must be a Hypocrite The Apostles markes are 1. They Professe they knovv God a Hypocryticall false Teacher is a great Professor of Religion his care is to seem to be that he is not 2. By works they deny him all his Religion is in outward profession separated from the inward sincerity of the heart That which God delights in an humble and contrite spirit they regard not and that which God detests they offer to him a naked outward formality he is swan-like white without but his flesh within is black Christs comparison sits them best they are Foxes whose skin is better then his flesh 3. Thirdly disobedient or want of the obedience of faith they make a great shew of faith much knowledge much talke of Piety but secretly in their course depart from the word with pretence of obedience like the Son in the Gospel Matth. 21.28 Being bidden of his Father to go into the Vineyard said yea but for all that went not such professe much readinesse and willingnesse to serve God but doe it not 4. Fourthly The fourth marke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reprobate not as opposed to the elect but to those things they undertake as true Christians when they shall be brought to the touchstone they shall be like reprobate silver unaprooved without proof all naught 5. The fifth thing meant by Sheeps-cloathing is pretence of instinct revelations immediate and extraordinary from the Spirit of God Micah 2.11 If a man walking in the Spirit that is say he have divine inspiration yet ly falsely impudence of false Teachers is seldome lesse then blasphemous what blasphemy greater then to give out to be guided by the Spirit of truth when it is the Spirit of errour all this while Thus Simon Magus had his Helena Mahomet his dove inured to fetch food out of his ear is pretended by him to be the holy Ghost whispering into his ears what he should enact for the people 6. The sixt thing meant by sheeps cloathing is mentioned by the Apostle 2. Thes 2 2. word and letter These false teachers pretended they had heard it from Pauls own mouth and withall forged letters and fathered them upon the Apostle forgery is noe new thing in false teachers and other impostures Apostles yet surviving they published under their names Evangellicall stories Is not the cause deplored which but by such base shifts cannot be supported The Second marke by which false teachers are known is expressed by Christ in the 7 ht of St Mat. ver 16.20 by their fruits you shall know them that is by their false doctrine selfe seekeing and wickedness ver the 23 they work iniquitie 2. Pet. 2.1.2 c. which at last shew what they are as ripe fruites doe trees Every one then must with the Nobler sort of Berea Acts 17.11 bring the doctrine of false teachers to the touchstone of the Scripture and he will soone find whether they bee true or false 1. Thus the doctrine of the Papists concerning the Lords Supper will soone be found defective if you compare the same with Christs first institution Mat 26.26 Mark 14.22 Luk. 22.19 and 1 Cor. 11.24 Their worshiping of Saints and praying to them will be found contrary to Scripture 1 Tim. 2.5 1 Joh. 2 1. So all other points wherein we differ 2. In like manner Swenkfeldians and Anabaptists leading men from the Scriptues to enthusiasmes or private revelations will soone be found false by these

Iude calleth such ver 8. dreamers for so indeed they are and their dreame is this that sin is the cause of subjection And although it were ordained and allowed to the Jewes because they were but infants yet fits it not us Christians that are in the state of perfection A meere dotage is it not amongst those blesed Spirits who are free from sinne and still persist in the truth There are Thrones Dominations Powers Principalities Angells and Archangells Coll. 1.16 over whō Christ is far advanced in the heavenly places Eph. 1.20 21. And if man had continuin his integrity yet government should have been Vxor viro liberi utrisque inasmuch as man naturally is sociable and disciplinable The morall law commands to honour Father and mother The end of government is peace with pietie honesty and on man even then should have stood in need of another Finally there is now as great a necessitie of magistracie as was amongst the Jewes and the new Testament would never have commanded subjection to magistrates or to pray for them if it were a sinne for a Christian to be a magistrate A Christian therefore 1. May be a magistrate 2. Is only fit to be a magistrate because no man better knowes the dutie of a magistrate 3ly No man can so compleatly and perfectly performe the office of a magistrate but he because no man understands the true religion which he is to maintaine and by which he is to Governe but he Haveing thus confirmed this truth in opposition to the former error I proceed to the History CHAP. X. The Historie IN the year of Christ Jesus 1422 and and thereabout God was pleased to excite and stirre up many learned and godlie men who as other Moses's should deliver his people out of the Popish more then Egyptian because spirituall servitude These teaching the libertie of the Gospel obtained by Christ only from sinne Satan and consequently eternal fire a spirituall libertie meerly Certaine fanaticall and fantasticall people in Germanie tooke occasion thereby to shake of all subjection corporall or bodily wresting and perverting the former doctrine of grace they utterly refused to be any more subject neither would they pay any tribute Armes were taken up first in Swevia a country bordering on the upper Palatinate where they tooke the field with two armiesone of them was with much slaughter scattered the other about Hall tooke the towne of Weinspurge causing the garrison and Earle of Helfrustein to passe through the points of their pikes thence some marched to Wittenberge others into Franconia The former were overthrowne by Trucheser and with the losse of many thousands fell into the hands of their owne who made them pay with their lives for their rebelliō The other after they had burned 200 castles and noble and gentlemens houses innumerable invaded the citie of Wirthpurge and besieged the Castle Lewes Prince of Palatine overtook them twice at Pfedershrine with singular clemencie calling off his men from slaughtering them But the Bishop of Trevers did not only animate his but also went before them in crueltie Thence this fire crept into Lorraine where Duke Anthony quenched it with the slaughter of 1500 of them the parts of the Rhine being quieted on a sudden all Thuringia and Hassia were in armes one Munzer being the ring-leader who with Enthusiasmes and strange revelations he pretended to receive by night stirred up the multitude to take up Armes against their Prince and Gentrie one Piper furthering his madnes affirming to have received promise divine in a dream which assured him of the victory the beginnings were succesfull and the greatnesse of the prey made them Joyfull When on a sudden the Prince of Hassia Duke of Saxony and Duke of Brunswicke made towards them with their Forces met them on a Mountain neer Frankhaufen where they had fenced themselves with waggons and carts as they conceived sufficiently The Princes pittying the seduced multitude made proclamation of pardon on condition they should lay down their arms and every one repair home delivering up the Authors of this rebellion Munzer was now in danger of life Wherefore in a long oration he confirms his vocation bitterly as it were with great zeal inveighs against the Princes Wherefore these obstinate Rebels were set upon who being terrified with the roaring of the Canons sang that vulgar hymne Come holy Ghost eternall God c. and most of them earnestly waited for helpe from above Which not appearing any where but to the contrary death on all sides then fled Thousands were slain in the pursuit 300 were taken with their Prophet Munser Who being examined and charged with the bloud of so many thousand laught saying they would have it so At his execution he acknowledged his fault exhorted the Princes to clemency and the reading of the Scriptures Especially the books of Kings the rest of the Prisoners received also their punishment Ten years after 1535. the same fire was Kindled again at Munster in Westphalia by Bernhard Rothoman Preacher of the Gospel there who being seduced by Iohn of Leyden a Tayler whom at first he had opposed strongly began to Preach and to presse Anabaptisme a fained sanctity publike repentance together with the tale of Rebaptization begat respect and authority to both whose Complices and followers of the City Countrey about allured with the rich prey took the Town house where the Senators met about matters of their State Depose the Bishop Lord of that City and Country about it turn out the Senate and so were Authors of a Civill warre putting to death all who refused to be Baptized by them Cnipperdolling acted the Prince burn'd and pull'd down Churches to him came Seraphicall or divinely inspired Iohn Mathew who commanded all gold and silver and bookes especially the Bible to be brought forth under pain of death which two young She-prophets discovered The money was put into the treasury but all the books were burnt publikely at which when a Smith laught he was forthwith cruelly put to death by the Prophet who not long after was himself slain making a Sally upon the Bishops forces besieging the City Him succeeded Iohn of Leyden who removed Cnipperdolling from his Office of Magistracy appointing him to be executioner or hangman after this being awaked out of a three dayes sleep he appointed twelve Judges by revelation and polygamy to have as many wives as they pleased These twelve govern'd so long till he had gotten into his hands by his Revelations all Kingly power promising no lesse to himself then the Monarchy of the World Consecrated he was and solemnely inaugurated receiving the imperiall ensignes Crown Scepter Sword and Robe He sate in Judgement under a Tent at certain dayes having his Executioner Cnipperdolling still at his elbow by instinct All this while the Enemies without were not idle wherefore he prepared his forces to sally out inviting them to a Feast and celebrating the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord himself