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
A85832	Englands complaint: or, a sharp reproof for the inhabitants thereof; against that now raigning sin of rebellion. But more especially to the inhabitants of the county of Suffolk. With a vindication of those worthyes now in Colchester. / By Lionel Gatford B.D. the true, but sequestred rector of Dinnington, in the said county.	Gatford, Lionel, d. 1665.	1648 (1648)	Wing G332; Thomason E461_27; ESTC R205193	55,099	61

will performe and sinish it untill the day of Jesus Christ And for the rest of that party whom ye most feare t is wisdome to feare them so much as not to exasperate them more Yet thus fearre I dare undertake for them were my undertaking worthy of your notice taking That were you in their power as many of them have beene in yours you should finde the most prophane and rude among them lesse cruell in their cruelties they and their fellows afore have found than many of your pretending Saints and holy ones in those which they call their mercie But the fault is your owne if you runne your selves upon any such hazard For make your peace with God and he will make your enemies to be at peace with you Prov. 16.7 and returne to your Soveraigne and there is none that have hazarded their lives and lost their liberties and estates for him their Religion Lawes liberties and propertie but would be ready and willing upon a resettlement of all these without any more blood and other publike calamities to catch at and embrace any reasonable propositions and kisse the beautifull feete of such propounders As therefore yee have tryed many other waies for procuring peace and they have all failed you so be intreated for Christs sake who is the Prince of peace and the propitiation for our sinnes to make tryall of this way of acknowledging your sinnes and forsaking them which never yet failed any and which is so infallible as that God himselfe gives that as the reason of his giving over people when their sinnes are come to their full measure and they ripe for ruine to blindnesse and heardnesse of heart Isa 6.10 Mat. 1.3.15 Act. 28.27 implying that if a people did turne from their sinnes unto him he could not but heale them Turne thou us O Lord and we shall be turned Turne thou us and we shall be healed Let that be your dayly prayer to God Come let us returne unto the Lord. For he hath wounded and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will bind us up Ier. 31 Hos 6.1 let that be your constant exhortation to one another and practise your selves what you shall so exhort others And the Lord heare and accept you in both Having repented of your sinnes and in particular of your Rebellion Blood guiltinesse and other iniquities and impieties attending them The next thing that you are besought to consider is the present state and condition of Religion here in this Kingdome That the Church of England in its Reformed established Religion was not onely a defence and refuge but the glory and honour of all the Reformed Churches in Christendome cannot justly and therefore I hope will not be denyed by any of those Churches if it should wee are able to evince it out of the mouths of their own most learned and eminent Preachers and Professors And had not those unhappy div sions breaking out as they did prevented it the Christian world had in all probabilitie ere this seen the happy fruits thereof in the harmonious and of them and us much desired conformity of other reformed Churches especially the more Eastern as well in Discipline as Doctrine so far as conformity in Discipline could have been conveniently observed in severall Nationall Churches This the Tobiahs and Sanballets of the Church of Rome have known and maligned so long that their attempts against this Church and the established Religion thereof have been more and more industriously and eagerly prosecuted then against any Church whatsoever though they have not omitted any opportunitie of practising their complotted designes upon any of the Reformed Churches or the members thereof And having tryed all the other wayes and courses that they could invent and some of them such as I hope will never be forgotten of this Nation Some few yeares before the beginning of this Parliament Cardinall Richeleiu the Politique favourite of France and gracious sonne of Rome used all his art and skill to kindle a fire against us in Scotland which art and skill of his prospered too much there by the unskilfulnes and imprudence of some of our managers of Church affairs here in England No sooner was that fire kindled but Emissaries of Rome were sent thither to inflame it and the better to effect it some of them pretended great love and affection to a new Reformation of that Kirke even to a seeming disclaiming and detesting of their own About the same time there were not a few of those Incendiaries dispatcht hither into England to practise upon those of this Kingdome that were disaffected to the established Government of this Church or that distasted some new rites and practises too much favoured and countenanced by some of the Governours thereof and so far had they within a short time crept into the favours and Counsels of some leading men of each sort that this Church and State began to be much distempered Insomuch that our most Gracious and Religious Soveraign next under Christ the prime defender of our Faith and nursing Father of our Church and Common-weale whom they had many other wayes assaulted but found impregnable was perswaded for the peace and safety of both his Kingdoms to call a Parliament and within a while after for the peace and security of all his three Kingdomes the third being also then inflamed to derive unto them greater liberty of continuance but otherwise not of any power then ever Parliament had and as we finde by sad and wofull experience then they had grace to make good use of The Jesuites and Jesuited party finding this advantage and feeling by the Pulse of the chief of the disaffected and discontented part of that great Assembly how their hearts stood inclined they applyed themselves to them in all wayes and services possible One Jesuite well known to the most reverend and Religious the Primate of Ireland his Grace was a constant Tabler and Counsellor to the Lord Brooks an active furious driver on of the mad factious peoples desperate turbulencies Others applyed themselves to others whom I forbear to name Only one passige I must not omit Before those worthy members of the honourable Houses of Lords and Commons that held firm to their duty and allegiance were forced from their stations so bold were those Romanists grown that an honourable member of the House of Commons was earnestly importuned by one of them an acquaintance of his to recommend a Petition to the House in behalf of the Romish party for the taking off all penall laws from them which he refusing to doe and expostulating with the Gentleman about it as suspecting that be came to intrap him and to render him more distastfull to the factious party and so more disserviceable to his King and Country the Gentleman replyed that he was very much mistaken for that Petition would finde better acceptance in the House then he thought for And accordingly it being soon after presented there by another who may

the most inferiour of which companie carries better blood in their veines because untainted then the proudest Adversarie that fights against them and I trust God will preserve it as preciously and the Citie wherein they are High exceeding high alreadie is the Honour of that Citie for being the Citie wherein Lucius Helena and Constantine the first Christian King Empresse and Emperour in the world were borne And it may please the Lord in his mercie notwithstanding our multiplied iniquities crying so loud for the contrarie to rayse its honour yet much higher by making it the Citie wherein King Charles the most Religious of Christian Kings the Established Religion of the Church of England the Helena or Empresse of Christian Religion and the Incomparable Lawes and Liberties of this Kingdome which for equitie and Christianitie deserve the Crowne Imperiall of the World shall be preserved from ruine and be restored to their pristine glory The same Almightie God that wrought that first great Work in that Citie is all-sufficiently able there even there to accomplish this second And we humbly beseech him that neither their nor our sinnes may separate betweene his blessing and their Loyall and Christian indeavours to that purpose and whatever the successe be that that Citie nor those Worthies that are in it may never want their due honour nor his gracious protection and comforts But suppose the worst Suppose that by your ingagement against that Citie and those Worthies in it their Enemies should prevaile over them to their and this whole Kingdomes further weltering in blood must not their and the rest of the blood of this Kingdome be charged upon your score When as if you had but sat still and not ingaged against them as you were by many bonds never to be cancelled obliged to doe there had not beene in all probalitie at this time any Enemies to Peace or thirsters after Blood that durst to have showne themselves so throughout the whole Nation And therefore what will God say or doe unto you when he comes to make inquisition for blood to avenge it This is the bloody Countie that had Peace layd at their feet and trampled on it that had Peace brought home to their doores and not onely shut it out but called to bloodie Warre to enter in that had many thousands of their fellow Brethren and Neighbours that would have ventured their lives to have preserved them in Peace and they chose rather to lose many of their owne lives to take away some of theirs They loved not Peace therefore it shall be farre from them they delighted in Warre therefore shall it cleave close to them and they thirsted for blood therefore shall they be drunke with their owne blood Doe not thinke that I speake more in Gods Name then I have warrant from Gods Word for though ye have bin too long used so and abused by such lying Prophets Search the Scriptures and observe from thence what God speakes of the shedding of blood and you I find that I speak very sparingly as having regard to your infirmities For there God tells you That shedding of blood is one of those crying sinnes which makes a land to mourne and every one that dwelleth therein to languish Hos 4. v. 2.3 That blood defileth the land and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein or there can be no expiation for the Land but by the blood of him that shed it and that If a people would have God to dwell among them they must not so defile the land which they inhabit Numb 35. v. 33.34 That the shedding of innocent blood is such a sinne that of all other horrid sinnes the Lord will not pardon 2 King 24. v. 4. And therefore no satisfaction was to be taken for the life of a murtherer which was guiltie of death but he was to be surely put to death Numb 35. v. 31. with a multitude of other sayings on that subject that are to be trembled at by the Rebellious Subjects of this Kingdome 'T is true if a man killed any person unawares there were Cities of refuge appointed by God for such a one to flye unto from the avenger of blood but Oh my poore Countrey-men what Cities of refuge can ye fancie to your selves who wilfully murther your brethren And what lesse can the King say of you then this or to this effect The Countie of Suffolke 't is the most Rebellious Countie of all my Dominions For when one of my Kingdomes moved not against me when a second rose up for me and when the third Petitioned for me from almost all parts and tooke up Armes for me in most parts they of Suffolke neither Petitioned for me nor moved for me but rose up against me and when Rebellion was expiring its last poysonous breath they hazarded their owne lives to prolong its life and to preserve the lives of those Rebells that seeke nothing more then to take away mine When thousands of my Loyall Subjects were indeavouring to fetch me out of my Cruell Bondage and Imprisonment then they helpt to besiege and imprison to kill murther those very Subjects and when others with them were making what haste they could to set my Crowne againe firme on my head and to restore me againe to those Rights Honours and Comforts which I was wont to injoy they did what they could to throw my Crowne back againe to the ground and to keepe mine Honour still in the dust and me from all hopes of enjoying any Rights or externall Comforts here in this life Thus have they indeavoured to continue and adde to my Miseries who have therefore indured such Miseries in such Extremities because I would not yeeld to the delivering up of them amongst others to extreme Slavery and Tyranny Thus have they not onely fought against me without a cause but for the love that I had unto them they take now my contrarie part and have rewarded me evil for good and hatred for my good will But I give my selfe unto Prayer Stirre up thy selfe and awake to my judgement even unto my Cause my God and my Lord. Judge me O Lord according to thy righteousnesse and let them not rejoyce over me Psal 35. Let them not say in their hearts Ah so would we have it Let them not say We have swallowed him up Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoyce at my hurt Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnifie themselves against me Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour my righteous Cause yea let them say continually Let the Lord be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperitie of his servant and my tongue shall speake of thy righteousnesse and of thy prayse all the day long Amen Amen But what then will all the other Counties of England say of you O bewitched besotted Countie of Suffolke They that had lived in peace and plentie all these times when in the most

as to you of this County that have hazarded your honours estates lives and fortunes And for the promise of those at Westminster call but to mind the successe of that Petition of the Ministers of this County and of Essex presented to both Houses in these dolefull termes That your solemne League and Covenant your great and glorious victories the expectation of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas the longing desires of our Brethren of Scotland the Humble Petitions of the Reverend Assembly and the great City of the Kingdome the pressing miseries of the Orthodox and well affected Ministers and people in the Country here is a Letanie of conjurations indeed enough to conjure any that would come within compasse of any figure cry aloud to your Honours for the settlement of Church-Government according to the word Then followes For the want of this it is Right Honourable that the name of the most high God is blasphemed his precious Truths corrupted his Word despised his Ministers discouraged his Ordinances vilified Hence it is that Schism Heresie Ignorance Prophanesse and Atheisme flow in upon us Seducers multiply grow daring and insolent pernicious bookes poyson many soules Piety and Learning decay apace verie manie Congregations lie wast without Pastors the Sacrament of Baptism by many neglected and by many reiterated the Lords Supper generally disused or exceedingly prophaned confusion and ruine threatning us in all our quarters In all Humility therefore c. we out of conscience and in tender regard to the glory of God and the salvation of our people beseech your Honours that a form of Church Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best formed Churches may with all possible speed be perfected and confirmed by your civill sanction that Schismaticks Hereticks Seducing Teachers and soule-subverting bookes be effectually suppressed c. And what was their answer The Lords they answered like Lords professing much joy at the zeale and care of the Ministers of those Counties for the preventing the further increase of Heresie Prophanenesse c. They desire them to continue in their indeavours therin say they will not be wanting to give them al incouragement c. they assure them that they wil improve their power for suppressing of Error Heresie seducing Teachers and soul-subverting books likewise for the setling of Church-Government according to the Word of God c. Here was a Lordly answer but that they had not consulted the House of Commons for they return another and indeed their common answer viz. That the most of the particular desires of their Petition were then under consideration and they hope will be brought to a settlement speedily c. O the miraculous care and diligence of that House There was scarce ever any Petition for redresse or reliefe in any things presented unto them but they were just then in Consideration of them and hoped that they would be speedily ordered as they desired only through some intervening obstructions they could not do as they would But how came it to passe that the Commons had most of those particulars under their consideration and had proceeded so far in them as to hope for a speedie settlement therein and yet the Lords knew of no such thing at least for got it quite in their answer Well but let that passe How much of all these faire promises hath been performed either by the one House or the other from that time to this Why so nothing but the just contrarie that everie abomination complained of in that Petition is increased to that height and hath received that countenance from some of the Petitioned as well as some of the Petitioners that though each of them deserve a particular sad complaint in a sharp Petition yet 't is thought but vain for any to petition or complain to them of them all And do but remember what successe all other Petitions since that from other Counties either for Religion or King or Lawes or ought else that good is have found at their hands and hope for reliefe or redresse from them if you can Examine throughly in the last place whether those men both of the Clergie and Laity which have been since these unhappie divisions reviled slandered and perfecuted under the names of Popish and Popishly-affected persons have not in former times been to their power verie manie of them as zealous propugners of the Protestant Religion and as earnest opposers of Poperie and Superstition and whatsoever seemed to incline that way as anie men whatsoever yea above anie of those whom ye now most adore as also whether they have not all these sad times through to the eternall honour of their Religion as well as of themselves both in their owne and in other Nations as manie of them of note as have been forced abroad held firm to their first faith and to each principle thereof notwithstanding all temptations of poverty and want attending that their constancy and all allurements of large supplies and honourable imployment and preferment if they would desert or dissemble it whiles they whom ye have cried up magnified and idolized as the great Pillars and supporters of the Protestant Religion have both in former times failed like staves of reed and falsified like broken bowes and now in these times have shuffled and shifted not only from post to pillar but from seeming to be pillars in one profession to seeming and being anie thing that might serve the times in another even to their owne everlasting shame and to the reproach of that Religion which they have pretended Put these and all those other particulars mentioned in this second consideration together and then judge whether it be not high time for all those that are true Protestants indeed according to that distinctive name so long used to look to their Religion and to themselves least otherwise they be suddenly cheated of it or at least of the happy and long injoyed freedome of professing and exercising it and that by those that pretended and so seemed for a while to be most devoted to it and least Popery so much objected and so falsly charged upon those that least deserved it be within a while obtruded on them by those who have suggested those objections and forged those accusations as the stales and cries whereby to draw men within compasse of their nets and snares there being no such ready way to catch and insnare any creatures as by imitating their cries and calls and by setting some of their owne kind or somethings verie like them for stales You cannot but remember who it was for his blood is yet fresh in some of your skirts that told you when he was on the Scaffold Ier. 2.34 that it was part of his Prayer that the tumultuous people of this Nation might not be like those Pharisees and their followers who pretending a feare of the Romans coming and taking away their place and Nation Iohn 11.48 when there was no