Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	england_n	king_n	kingdom_n	4,625	5	5.7154	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86660	The happiness of a people in the wisdome of their rulers directing and in the obedience of their brethren attending unto what Israel ougho [sic] to do recommended in a sermon before the Honourable Governour and Council, and the respected Deputies of Mattachusets [sic] colony in New-England. : Preached at Boston, May 3d, 1676, being the day of election there. / By William Hubbard ...	Hubbard, William, 1621 or 2-1704.	1676 (1676)	Wing H3209; ESTC W12661	72,888	77

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea Paul himself declare it not only to be his judgement but the mind of God himself in those direct and plain Texts of the Epistles to the Romans Chap. 13.1 2 3 4 c. 1 Tim. 2.2 And Peter also in his Epistle Chap. 2.13 But to prevent any mistake here by speaking more particularly about the civil Magistrates Power and duty concerning matters of Religion it may be reduced to these three heads 1. The establishing the true Religion where it never was 2. The maintaining and upholding of it where it is 3. The reforming it where it is grown corrupt 1. Concerning the first of these It is made by learned and judicious Writers one of the undoubted Rights of Soveraignty to determine what Religion shall be publickly professed and exercised within their Dominions sci what in their Consciences is most agreeable to the word of God and the divine Law What reason can be rendred why the Popish Religion is professed only in Spain the Lutheran in some Kingdomes and Provinces of Europe the Calvinists in others an indulgence granted in some Kingdomes to differing professions but that the chief Rulers Kings or Princes of State are this or that way affected Why else doe wee in new-New-England that profess the doctrine of Calvin yet practise the discipline of them called Independant or Congregational Churches but because the authority of the Countrey is perswaded that to be most agreeable to the mind of God This is not to be understood as if it were to belong to civil Rulers to obtrude upon the Consciences of their Subjects and people the profession of what doctrine or Religion they please but that no perswasion in Religion can orderly become the publick profession of any people or person without liberty first obtained from the supream Rulers of the Nation For it is a most certain truth as Lactantius speaks there is nothing so voluntary as Religion which without the wills consent is nothing Another sayes also he that is compelled by law to serve God in this or that way serves not God but his prince The work of Rulers is therefore re● her to keep men from doing evill then to compell them to doe good Thus did the first Christian Emperours of old shut up the Idol Temples not suffering their subjects to walk on in the practise of their former abominable Idolatryes but not compell them to embrace the Christian Faith As did Ezekiah and Josiah before break down the Grove and other Idolls not allowing their people publickly to commit Idolatry and if they did compell those of their own nation to attend the Celebration of the passeover and the like it was because that worship was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally enjoyned that people and they were to be cut off that did omit it But under the Gospel the Worship of God is more spirituall and requires Faith in the heart before the service of the outward man can be acceptable Now Faith is a perswasion wrought in the heart not ingendred by outward compulsion as saith Gregory Nova et inaudita est illa praedicatio qua verberibus exigit Fidem But more time need not be taken up in speaking to that which is taken for granted on all hands 2. In the second place therefore the same power is necessarily required to uphold maintain the true Religion which was at first to establish it that is to maintain the publick profession thereof Creation and providence are the issues of the same Being and Power If the true Religion had not been publickly professed without the countenance of the civill Power it is not like to be professed longer then the same power will give allowance or Command or encouragement Now this is or ought to be done 1. By taking care that publick Ministers be sent forth to preach the word of truth administer the Sacraments and celebrate all other rites and Ordinances that doe concern the true Religion Thus did Jehosophat in the 2. Cron. 17.7 8 9. So did the antient Christian Emperours by their Laws and Edicts with other civil Constitutions The Church by some is compared to hangings the Common-wealth to the walls the Church is the fruitfull Vine the Common-wealth the prop that supports it 2. By providing maintenance and other suitable encouragements for such Ministers in all their administrations according to the Apostolical practice Act. 6.24 and precept 1. Cor 9.5.6 7 9. c. For it will necessarily hold that if Ministers by divine Institution may expect maintenance and encouragement who should take care to see it done but the Rulers of Christian common-wealths God alwayes allotted a portion for those that ministred about holy things both before the Law and under the Law Abraham as a man of warre paid tithes to Melchizedek as a publick Minister of God in that place where he obtained his victory They will have an hard Task that will undertake to prove that Tithes in some sence are not moral as may be seen by the learned Mountagues discourse against Selden about that Subject But it is sufficient for our present purpose that those Texts under the New-Testament conclude it a moral duty with many other that might be cited to take care they be maintained 3. By setting up and encouraging the Schools of Learning for he that wills the end is supposed also to will the meanes It is not meet that the Israelits should alwayes goe down to the Philistines to sharpen their weapons which they are to use in fighting against the enemies of Gods Church or for whetting their tooles they must use in tilling Gods field Christian Emperours of old were wont to adorn Christian Temples with the Spoyles of the Gentiles Julian complaines that the Christians beat the heathen Philosophers with their owne weapons therefore did he subtilly contrive to deprive the Christians of the benefit of Schooles other meanes of humane Learning thinking that to be the likelyest meanes whereby to overthrow the Christian Religion T is true that the defect of Learning in the Apostles was supplyed by the extraordinary gifts of the Holy-Ghost but since those gifts are ceased because other ordinary means may be sufficient for that end God made Manna to follow the children of Israel from heaven till they had opportunity to sow and reap in the land of Canaan after which time the Manna ceased While Israel was without a teaching Priest without a Law they were also without the true God 2. Chron. 15.2 while the Scriptures were locked up in an unknown Language how can they be opened without the key of humane Learning or rightly divided without the study of the Workman as the Apostle speaks 2. Tim. 2.15 Of old time they had Colledges and Schools of Learning of which Elijah and Elisha were Presidents and Overseers What advantage the reformed Churches have had by their Princes and States erecting Schooles of Learning in their severall Dominions is so well known that there needs no more to be said

yet springs from this root of pride Some entertain such an opinion concerning themselves as they conceive nothing can be well done if they have not an hand therein whereas Paul is content and rejoyceth that Christ is preached though himself be shut up in prison that the truth is at liberty though himself be in bonds This spirit of pride maintains that office of Lying which was complained of not long since in this place detracting from or defrauding of others Hence also is that Self-willedness that spirit of revenge whereby some cannot bear to be opposed but must be chief and will have their wills though they turn evrey stone Tantaene animis coelestibus irae But with too many as he said t is true mors mihi pro regno This spirit of willfull Revenge was it that brought that sore scourge of God upon some parts of the Christian world for it made some that could not as the Poet speaks flectere Superos Acharonta movere that they might be revenged on those from whom they might have received some lesser injury for it called the Saracens and Moors into Spain from whence it could never be recovered again in seven hundred years This opened the Gates of Buda that impregnable Bulwark of Hungary to let in the Turks that some might have their wills of their Christian neighbours and friends to revenge a private injury with a publick and perpetual mischief Thus this pride of mens hearts will make them turn Indians that they may be revenged of their Brethren Abram will rather recede from his right then contend with his Brother when the Cananite and Perizzire was then in the land O my soul come not thou into their secret unto their assemblyes be not thou united mine honour for in their anger they slew a man and in their self-will they digged down a wall Gen. 49.6 This is the first of the two grand evills amongst us as it is to be feared 2. The second is like unto this as to its secret and prevailing nature and alike odious in the sight of God sc That spirit of Covetousness and inordinate love of the world that is so inconsistent with the love of the Father This sin lyes as a Barr of seperation betwixt God and his people ye cannot serve God and Mammon This is a lust that will drown mens Souls in perdition 1. Tim. 6. much more their Bodyes and estates This is apt to choak the fruit of the most hopefull Soyl direct Idolatry and Apostacy no wonder therefore it is called the root of all evill Yet doth this sin slily insinuate it self into the heart of the forwardest Professors and is ready to speak to them as the Serpent did to Eve hath God indeed said you may not meddle with this or that desirable fruit of the world This is a sin apt to ly in wait for and easily ensnare a Reforming people This will not be the first time that it hath been ready to bane Reformation as may be seen Hag. 1.5 for it may stand with the highest outward form of Religion Church membership pure Worship and the strictest kind of discipline witness the Pharises that were so strict observers of the Law as touching the righteousness thereof blameless And Judas that carried the Bag yet was a pentioner of Satan though outwardly in the visible Kingdome of Christ yea in his Family yet as little suspected as any of the rest What complaints have been made against this sin in the Church and Lawes made against it in the Commonwealth yet still it lives and hides it self as if there were no coming at it It lyes secretly lurking in the hearts of Professors and is brooded by pretence of one thing or other Necessity Frugality Sobriety c. Saul can put a specious pretence not only of civill prudence but of Religion also upon his covetous practice way expresly contradicting the Command of God The Ballances of deceit were in the hand of Ephraim with a secret love to oppress in his Marchandize yet who can find any Iniquity in his Dealings that were sin Hos 12.8 How are mens desires apt to be enlarged after the world as hell their hearts unsatisfied as the grave that makes them able to devour widdows houses yet never say it is enough They that first came over hither for the Gospel could not well tell what to doe with more Land then a smal number of acres yet now men more easily swallow down so many hundreds and are not satisfied If they be but never so little streightned they must remove where they may have room enough that can part with a good neighbourhood and the the beautifull heritage of Church communion or Gospel Worship to pitch with Lot in the Confines of Sodom There was a sad curse laid upon Jerecho the city of the Moon an emblem of this lower world which reformed churches should trample under their feet that whoever should build it again should lay the foundation thereof in his first-born and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son which it is well if some mens hearts doe not misgive them as if the hand of God that hath been writing bitter things against us hath not amongst others written some such thing as this Is not this to set up new Gods Is it a wonder then that we find war in our gates God is knocking the hands of New-England people off from the world and from new Plantations till they get them new hearts resolved to reform this great evill These things may seem harsh yet when the Lord is crying aloud in his providence who can forbear speaking in this kind The Lyon hath roared who will not fear the Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie A● 3.8 Nivard in Burgundy once told his fellow brethren Bernard Guido who had newly renounced the world and entred into Monasteryes telling their other brother that they had left him all their earthly poss●ssions that they had made no● equal division taking heaven for themselves and leaving him what was here below It may be God hath observed some of his children here doing the contrary too ready to exchange the Kingdome of heaven for earthly possessions and therefore sayes he will undoe that bargain as we use to doe the molish bargains of our Children If this be the guize of New England or that there appears any disposition that way It is no wonder if God our great Land-lord layes his arrest upon our tillage and straines for his glory as our divine Astronomer tells us in the prognostick of this present year Thus honoured and respected in the Lord you that are the Heads and Leaders of our Tribes I have endeavoured to set before you the two great Evills that I humbly conceive may most probably be lookt upon not as the least of the procuring causes of these chastisements in letting loose the rage of the Heathen against us so far as any deserving cause may be found in us God tells his