Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	faith_n	hold_v	3,740	5	6.0925	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85282	The fifth of November, or, The popish and schismaticall rebells. With their horrid plots, fair pretences, & bloudy practices, weighed one against another: and in opposition unto both two things asserted. 1 That the supreame authority of establishing, reforming, and vindicating religion is placed in the King. 2 That religion is not to be established or reform'd in bloud.		1644 (1644)	Wing F891A; Thomason E43_8; ESTC R23274	14,141	27

be a true Prophet unlesse the sacriledge and prophanenesse the luxury and wantonnesse the malice and security with the pride and other crying sinnes of this wrethed Kingdome have provoked Almighty God to marke us out for utter ruine and desolation I 'le adde no more degrees to this odious though most suitable comparison But addresse my selfe to the maintenance of those two assertions so directly opposed against them the first whereof is this That the supream authority of establishing 2 Sam. 7. v. 1. 2 Psal 132.2 3 4 5. reforming vindicating Religion is placed in the King David having sheathed his victorious sword bethinks himselfe of Gods worship and service sorry to see the Arke of the Lord worse quartered then himselfe he resolves the building of an House on purpose to lodge it in Gods service is no more circumscrib'd by place then his own essence yet it cannot be celebrated with that reverence decency and solemnity under hedges as in a Temple A Temple therefore must be erected and that so famous and m●gnificent that it may be in some sort suitable to his Majesty 1 Chron 22.5 and cap. 29.1 who is to be adored in it And who so fir to bring the first store to this holy pyle as Gods Anointed The Philosopher observed that the King ought to be Politie 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Governour of things appertaining unto divine worship the reverend Prelates in the Councell of Ephesus addresse themselves unto the Emperour in the language of a supplication to that purpose Supplicamus vestrae Majestati ut fidem immotam custodiri sanciatis When God was about to build the Tabernacle for his worship to be performed in the Model was not of the peoples fancying their blind zeale suffered to run a whoring never brought forth better Religion Exod. 32.1.4 Ps 106.19 20. Apud omnes Gentes quae vis administratio solennes erat sacerdotem autoritas tamen suma sanciendae reformandae vindicandae religionis semper erat penes Magistratum Reges Israelitici Christiani idem jus sibivedicarunt Davenant Deter quaest 19 Exod. 31.18 cap. 34.32 34. that I can read of then Calfe-worship The patterne is not to be expected from the people nor given to them no nor yet to Aaron to the Priest 't is given unto Moses the supreme Magistrate Exod. 25.9 So when God was pleased to fix his worship the patterne of the Temple that he will be honour'd in is given to David to the King 1 Chron. 28.17.19 Neither is the King a meere doore keeper in the House of God He is Custos utriusque Tabulae the whole matter and manner of that worship is committed to his trust as well as the place wherein 't is to be celebrated God hath committed the Bible unto his custody not finding a safer place then the crown to lodge it in The two Tables are deposited in the hands of Moses and he is to take care that the Priests impart them unto the people and ever since Defensor Fidei Defender of the Faith hath been a Title due unto all religious Princes To this end the Testimony 1. King 15.11.12 2. Kin. 18.4 ca. 23.4.5 the book of the Law was wont to be delivered to them at their Coronation Deut. 17.18.19.20 2. Chron. 23.11 It is the peculiar Elogie of good Kings in holy Scripture to have demolisht the high places and destroyed the Idols the perpetuall brand of evill ones not to have demolisht not to have destroyed them T is a duty so peculiar to the royall calling to survey settle and reforme the Church that the people though never so zealous religious can have no Authority to that effect without it The people were never yet allowed to bee their own Carvers in a Reformation Auferenda idola non potest quisquam jubere privatus Cont. liter Petilian l. 2. c. 92. Exod. 29.4.5 saies S. Austin Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven Image Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them is a binding law unto all Israel but to destroy Baal out of Israel is an imployment assigned over by God himselfe unto the King of Israel 2. King 10.24 ● King 12.18 2. Kings 10.28 Fourescore arm'd with the authoritie of Iehu of the King are enabled to root out Baal and all his worshippers which seven thousand that had not bowed their knees to Baal are not allowed to doe Ne simulacra quidem falsoru Deorum quae publice ex●abant dejectaunquam ●egimus nisi ●●ssu aut●●pul● in libera Repub. aut Regum cum regnabantur G●et de lu●e 〈◊〉 lib. 1. c. 4. pag. 6 For a private man to have broken the brazen Serpent against Authoritie had not been much better then if he had worship'd it for who hath required this at their hands The people of God are often taxed for worshipping the golden Calves upon the example and command of Idolatrous Kings but no Prophet ever reprehends them though they doe for every neglect of duty in them for not taking away of Idolatrie by force of Armes whether the King would or not God challengeth other duties from the hands of the people duties of a more private nature is very well contented where he findes them They must hold fast the possession of their faith without wavering Heb. 10.23 keep themselves from Idols 1. Iohn 5.21 and sigh and mourne for corruptions of the Church Ezek. 9.4 and submit themselves under the utmost penalty that authoritie inflicteth rather then betray the truth of their Religion So the three children did Dan. 3.18 so the whole race of primitive Christians did under Idolatrous bloody Emperours This is the resistance we are to make with the losse of our owne bloud not to the shedding of others Heb 12.4 This is the only guard the Christian stands upon this is the best and most offensive posture hee puts himselfe into for the defence of his Religion against that Authoritie that is set over him Instit 5.20 Defendenda religio est à privatis omnibus non occidendo sed moriendo non saevitià sed patientiâ non scelere sed fide saith Lactantius He that is such a Defender of the faith such a Christian Souldier is listed in the noble Army of Martyrs He is of Christs owne red Regiment nay of his Lieu-guard and shall have more advance money then the rest of common Suldiers under his sacred banner T is the highest favour God can vouchsafe his dearest children to draw them out and command them upon his forlorne hope for the service of his Church Hereby God does them the honour to get the commendations for their faith and fortitude Christian resolution By this meanes he lets the world see how well they are arm'd and trained up in grace and vertue and that they are good markes men and good fire-men that they ayme directly at heaven and are fervently zealous of his glory This is not a

common benefit but a peculiar favour So the Apostle to the Philippians Vnto you it is given not to every one in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeve on him but also to suffer for his sake Philp. 1.29 The sharper the fight the more glorious is the Triumph The more wounds the more Baies Those markes of the Lord Iesus that we carry unto heaven in our bodies with us Gal. 6.17 will be our tokens our evidences vnto a richer crowne of glory These are the duties which God hath allotted unto private Christians and expects no other from them But if any one or a combination a knot of them out of preposterous zeal or out of an impertinent troublesome and odious officiousnesse take upon them to doe that which God hath committed to the oversight and Managery of his own immediate * So the King is stiled Rom. 13.4 Minister they must be admonisht to ply their own Oares So S. Paul to his busie bodies 1. Thes 4.11 We beseech you brethren that yee study to be quiet and to doe your own businesse If the staggaring of the Arke of Gods worship should ominate the fall of it 2. Sam. 6.6.7 1. Chro. 13.9.10 yet the people can pretend to no calling from God neither can their own hands subscribe them a legall Commission to support it T is enough if their zeale can keep warme their own bosomes T is not expected they should bee kindled into such a flame as should burne up all the corruptions of the Church They would burne up wheat with chaffe and good graine with tares for want of skill to distinguish them 'T is well if they have salt enough in themselves to preserve themselves from being tainted 'T is well they have a Broome for their own use and will take the paines to sweep before their own doores but let them not sweep up their filth as the manner of some is and conceale it in private corners nor cast their dirt and myre into the Kings high way to defile and annoy others Should they attempt a Reformation against law the remedie would prove worse to Church Common-wealth then the disease for those that thinke it a more safe and wholsome lodging to abide under the shadow of Authority would assuredly oppose as well their Novelties as usurpation and so their blood might be mingled with their foolish because unwarrantable sacrifices Should they goe about to breake downe all the banks of Government and force open the doores of the Church to let in some of their Water to wash it whether it be the Holy water of Rome or the sanctified Iordan of the Anabaptists This water would quickly be turned into blood which would bee a meanes to prophane and defile and pollute the Sanctuary more then clense it And thus we are entred upon the second point viz. That religion is not to be establisht or reformed in blood Davids purpose of building God a Temple received an approbation from the Prophet Nathan Note that Nathan was deceived for the spirit of prophecie was not upon him at that time 2. Sam. 7.4 and was refresht with a promise Gods blessing assistance 2 Sam. 7.3 God laies aside the consideration of his own immensity and takes delight in that small modell which was projected in the heart of his Annointed Forasmuch saith he as it was in thine heart to build an House for my Name thou didst well in that it was in thine heart 2 Chron. 6.8 Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the House vers 9. God serves him with a Supersedeas or gives him a Quietus est to discharge him of this businesse He delights to dwell with him in that Temple which David had consecrated in his own bosome for him but he rather confines his own worship to a wandering Tabernacle then allowes David's hand in the building of the Temple The Reason that David himselfe avoucheth if you please to examine it you shall finde 1. Chron. 22.7 8 9 10. David was a man of warre though hee fought none but the Lords battailes He was a man of blood though he spilt very little but what was tainted and corrupted God will not have those hands engaged in the building of his holy place which have been once engaged in blood though those engagements were just and of his owne warranting 〈…〉 … tiam ●●ctis nisi pers●●sis non … pe●e indultum est G●ot de ●●●e Bell● l. 3. c. 15. 11. At si falsa apud ●●ct●s Religio ne vera ●pprimatur ●e●te c●●abit vi●●or quod Constant … fecit ibid. Idem in Epist Dedic●ejusdem operis laudat ●udo●●●i 13. Clementiam in 〈◊〉 verba Nec ●●ni adse●s animis circa divna dive●sum a te sentientibus The worke is reserved for Solomon for a King of peace ibid. Indeed besides Doctrine and Discipline in the Church besides preaching exhortation reproofe castigation by spirituall censures the proper duties of the Priestly function there is a necessitie a conveniencie at least of a Coercive power in the Magistrate to put the shackles of feare and terrour upon insolent and lewd men to restraine them If Religion would be allowed any externall forme at all shee would never be suffered to goe without a scratcht face Schismes and Sects and Heresies would undermine invade and corrupt the Church Sinne would encroach upon holinesse prophanenesse would assault and justle our piety and blasphemie would put affronts upon God himselfe if one arm'd with the power of the sword did not awe men if not into a positive respect at least into an inoffensive silence But for the establishing of the Church for the propagation of the faith for the reformation of Religion by force of Armes by blood and violence there is not the least title in the holy Gospell to be alleaged by way of justification There are some in the world that thinke to destroy the men is the best way to confute remove their errours But we know t is no Soveraigne Antidote that cannot expell the poyson without the ruine of the body Habac. 2.12 The holy Ghost hath denounced a Woe against him that builds a Towne with blood and will God have his own House built so If you bath the floore of the Chruch in blood you can pave it with no stone so faire and firme but the voice of that blood will breake through and be heard in heaven If you paint the windowes of Gods Church with the blood of your brethren they will not introduce more light but more darknesse and horrour That grand reformation of our Saviour was not brought in by the sword nor against the authoritie of the supreme Magistrate Hee conquered the world by his preaching and by his passion and establisht his own Throne in the hearts of his Disciples so as it made the Throne of Caesar stand the surer The holy Ghost distinguishes our Saviours conquest over Sinne Satan and the World from all other kind of