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	government_n	worship_n	3,428	5	7.3798	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93924	A paraphrasticall explication of the prophecie of Habakkuk, which is a prophecie that may supply us with fit matter of meditation for these times.	Stokes, David, 1591?-1669.	1646 (1646)	Wing S5718; Thomason E314_30; ESTC R200510	27,751	36

of Truth it is pitty we should be drawne away in these last and worst dayes by new pretended Raptures utterly unknowne to that other divine Apostle that was rapt up into the third Heaven where he heard some things indeed that might not be uttered which our new Enthusiasts never doe but none spake more plainly then he did of those two things that trouble us more then they need doe That is both concerning the Ecclesiasticall Government by Bishops with the subordination of Priests and Deacons cleare enough in him unlesse we call his Epistles to Timothy and Titus into question and concerning the Duty of Christian Subjects to their Kings and Princes which is as plainly enjoyned by him in his Epistle to the Romanes unlesse that Chapter may be rased out which saith They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13. And as plainly doth the same Apostle foretell the present breach of that Apostolicall Precept where he makes that knowne to Timothy the first Bishop of Ephesus 1. Tim. 3. which all our present Bishops and the best part of their Flock have now found true to their cost Now while some strive to delude us with strange Doctrines and idle Prephecies newly started out of we know not what suspected corners shall not Saint Paul's Prophecie be observed and acknowledged which we see and feele to be so fulfilled And shall not that be heard which hath been so long since and so clearly taught us by those two great Apostles Are we all for Novelties and such Popes and Patriarchs of our owne Election as shall make those Novelties increase upon us every day Yes So it is God help us We would have a new Religion a new Church a new State a new Government a new England all new by all meanes whereas a new Nothing were farre better for us For if we should be desired to set downe the Tenets of our new Religion and the wayes of our new Policy and Government in Church and State I doubt in all our new Illuminations and Directions and what you will we should not be able to see how to agree upon them for above one yeare And then it were a rare Almanack that could be able to Prognosticate how we should entertaine our selves for the yeare to come This is plaine English you will say But we had better suffer our selves before we are too much ingaged to be thus told in plaine English what we are going about then runne on we know not whither to the hazard of the Curses of all our Posterity and somewhat worse then that But I will touch no more so roughly upon that sore With all my Heart I wish it well cured For while it continues as it is no man shall dare to be a good Christian and a good Subject and venter to speake that which is Right and True to a crooked and perverse Generation but he may too soone meet with them that will rather take offence then instruction by it For they that are most bold with God and Men in the breach of all divine and humane Lawes would either be let alone or told very gently of it They would have no bold kind of Metaphores much lesse that bolder Rhetoricall Figure which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Liberty of speech And yet why should not that be indulged to one side as well as to the other or if more to one Loosers have more leave to talke as we use to say And who sits downe by more losse and so have more reason to expect a Liberty of speech then they that besides the losse of that Liberty which they lately had in the use of their Lawes and Freinds and Fortunes are still in danger of loosing that which is dearest to them the Liberty of their Religion and of their Conscience It were not amisse if they that have made us so miserable specially the prime Incendiaries and maine Fomenters of that under which we grone could be well chidden out of their new Fancies and Quarrels and Hypocrisies into the old sober way of true Godlinesse Jam. 3.17 which partakes of that Wisedome from above that is first pure and then peaceable But if that cannot be done we shall be willing to take any course 1. Cor. 9.22 to become all things to all men that by all meanes we may winne some and so be Followers of the great Apostle Who Gal. 3.1 in one place bespeakes the foolish Galatians in a kind of chiding way with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth In another place he charges and conjures the Thessalonians 1. Thes 5.27 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another place 1. Cor. 1.10 he beseecheth the Corinthians by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that they would all speake one thing and that there might be no dissentions amongst them but all would be knit together in one mind and in one judgement and elsewhere he doth likewise beseech the Romans by the mercies of God Rom. 12.1 to give up their body a living sacrifice c. and not to fashion themselves like unto this world c. And if that would any thing prevaile most willing should we be to beg of them and in the Apostles words beseech them to be reconciled 1. Cor. 5.20 and to that end to think sadly of those heavy Distractions and Publick Calamities of these times that are able to make any good Heart bleed and dissolve any tender Eyes into fountaines of teares And in the same hearty desire wherein we would begge that of them we doe earnestly entreat all true Protestants for their best endeavours and amongst them for the help of their speedie and humble and importunate Prayers that God would please to look downe in mercy and compassion upon us all Which cannot be the Prayers of any but such as are willing to look with Christian pitty and compassion upon one another and to embrace the best meanes of establishing the old way and the good way wherein our forefathers had setled us Jer. 6.16 and left us happy to the envy and admiration of all our Neighbours But if we are so bewitched that neither plain termes nor humble entreaties can any way worke upon us then before I conclude I will returne to the same language wherein I began this enlargement of my Meditations and wish that some divine Artist had Musick enough to charme us into our right sense againe and make the strling of the old and true Protestant Religion and Peace and Policie put a new Song of joy and Thankesgiving into our mouthes O how good and pleasant a thing would it be to see us all like Brethren unammonsly combined in one Forme of Civill and Religious Government and of Divine Service and worship How good and pleasant to have us all agree with the blessed Angells in one Heavenly Song of Glory to God on High in Earth Peace and Good will towards Men A Quire of Angells brought it first to us in their Musick from Heaven at the happy Birth of the Prinde of Peace If our Christmas that comes on so fast in a worthy Commemoration of that blessed Birth might have that truly made our Christmas Carole and all our Hearts and Mouthes and Handes truly joyned to make it good this Christmas would crowne all the rest of our daies with Joy and Felicity Joy in the behalfe of our Selves our Children and our Childrens Children to whom we cannot leave a better Legacy then that of Peace and with that Joy in regard of our Gratious Soveraigne and His Royall Progenie which should be as deare to us as our own lives and the care of our own Poserity The rather because we have a King whose unwearied Patience and Clemency and frequent loving Overtures of Peace deserve a greater Conquest of hearts then ever was attained by the Sword With which happy Conquest God of his mercy bestow upon us that blessing of Peace which hath in one word all the Rich treasures of Heaven and Earth looked up in it as in one faire casket even Felicitie it selfe which is but the Rest and Peace of all our Desires Felicitie here being nothing else then Gratia Pax a gracious Peace and felicity hereafter Gloria Pax a glorious Peace in heavenly Mansions Where we all desire that we may be admitted to chant the Praises of God to all Eternity and with Angels and Arch-Angels and all the Powers of Heaven ascribe unto Him all Honour and Glory and Power and Dominion and Majestie AMEN FINIS ERRATA PReface p. 3. l. 14. wandring r. wandring p. 4. l. 12. obseurity r. obscurity l. 14. r. though as his second appearing is called by Saint Paul Tit. 2.13 so his first appearing is called by the Greek Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paraphrase In marg P. 3. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 8. pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 11. l. 4. yet r. it p. 15. l. 18. for out of the land of Canaan r. toward the land of Canaan p. 16. l. 5. r. in thine owne and not theirs but