Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	king_n	law_n	liberty_n	6,707	5	6.5575	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85381	Anti-Cavalierisme, or, Truth pleading as well the necessity, as the lawfulness of this present vvar, for the suppressing of that butcherly brood of cavaliering incendiaries, who are now hammering England, to make an Ireland of it: wherein all the materiall objections against the lawfulness of this undertaking, are fully cleered and answered, and all men that either love God, themselves, or good men, exhorted to contribute all manner of assistance hereunto. By Jo: Goodwin.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1642 (1642)	Wing G1146; Thomason E123_25; ESTC R3123	51,456	53

party therein yet doubtlesse these were kept under as the Israelites were in Aegypt when they began to multiply It is no wayes likely that if they were any wayes formidable for their numbers that they should be suffered to have any proportion of armes or meanes either of offence or defence in case they were assaulted It being contrary to all reason and rule of State to suffer a party of an opposite Religion to the State and worshipping another God then the State allowed growing to any considerable numbers within them to have farther any such proportion or quantity of weapons armes or meanes in any kinde whereby they might endanger and become formidable to the State Now then granting that which this Father spake concerning the numbers of Christians amongst the heathens that they had number for number man for man and in this respect might seeme to ballance them and be able enough to resist them yet wanting armes and other meanes of defence wherewith it cannot be conceived but that the adverse party abounded it had been in vaine for them to have made resistance when violence was offered unto them And thus much for the first part of my Answer to shew the questionablenesse or rather indeed the great unlikelihood of the truth of that testimony which is brought to support the objection propounded which otherwise would fall to the ground of it selfe I goe on to the second part of my Answer which is to prove and to shew that though the testimony be admitted for truth yet the objection will not reach the question or case in hand Therefore suppose we the Father that spake as we have heard viz. That the Christians under the Heathen Emperours should be able enough to have defended themselves yea to have opposed the Emperour himselfe with his party spake nothing herein but the truth yet it doth not follow that all those of his profession I meane all the Christians that were scattered up and downe the face of the Empire should have the same apprehensions with him herein should thinke themselves strong enough to resist their adversaries in case they were opposed Those particular persons that were called out here and there some after others to suffer might very probably yea could not lightly but conceive and thinke that if they should have made any resistance against them that came to lay violent hands upon them and to put them to death they should have but enraged their malice against them the more and so have encreased their own torments yea and happily have provoked the Heathen party to rage so much the more against their Christian Brethren who yet remained amongst them So that in those that were called to suffer it had been both want of wisdome in respect of themselves and of charitie in respect of others if they should have made the least resistance against those unjust and bloody officers that were sent against them to take away their lives If it be here replyed and said yea but the whole body and partie of Christians throughout the Empire having sufficent strength might have agreed to have risen up at once and have suppressed their adversaries if they had Judged it lawfull To this Answer hath in part been made already as first that it is no waies probable that they had any sufficiencie of strength no not of men to have made good such an attempt much lesse that they had any competent provision of meanes otherwise which had been requisite therunto Secondly that though it should be granted that they had a sufficiencie of strength both wayes yet is it no wayes necessary that therefore they should all be of the same minde and judgement touching this sufficiencie that they should all be perswaded that their party were strong enough to deale with their adversaries We know that many attempts projects and undertakings which have been in treaty and agitation have been deserted and laid aside only through the different judgements and apprehensions of those that vvere concerned and to have been engaged therein touching the expedience or feaceablenesse of them As that proiect of Achitophell for the immediate and close following of David was deserted by Absolon and his party and not put in execution because of the different advise which Hushai the Archit gave A late instance hereof vve had likewise amongst our selves that dangerous designe of bringing up the Army out of the North against the Parliament proved abortive the execution of it never seeing the light of the Sun through the different opinions of those that were were to have been in speciall maner concerned therin some conceiving it to have been a proiect deserving the name of none such others no wayes daring to adventure themselves their lives and fortunes nor some perhaps their consciences upon it In like manner for the Christians living within the Romane Empire to have made head and risen up ageinst the maine body and State of the Empire to suppresse them had been an enterprise of that dangerous and grievous consequence in case it had miscarryed especially the grounds of the successe of it being so uncertaine and weake as they were that it hath not the least appearance or shew of likelihood that ever it should be generally consented unto by the whole society of the Christians without which there was no attempting the putting of it into execution To this may be added 3. That suppose the Christians wee spake of had been generally confident of their strength and had made little question but that they might have carried it against the Emperor and his yet having no invitation countenance or command from any Authoritie rule or lawfull power in the Empire to attempt any such thing their case was farre differing from ours who are invited countenanced encouraged and some waies commanded by as great and as lawfull an Authority as this state hath any to doe what you have been exhorted to doe in opposing the rage and violence of that malignant and blood-thirsty generation who having stollen away the heart of the King make use of his name to make havock and spoile of your Lawes Liberties Estates Lives Religion yea of the Peace Honour and safety of the whole Kingdome It is the expresse command and ordinance of God that inferiour Magistrates and Rulers should be obeyed as well as Kings as we observed formerly out of that of Peter 2 Pet. 2. 13 14. Therefore submit your selves unto every or all manner of ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be unto the King as unto the Superiour or unto Governours as those that are sent of him for the punishment of evill-doers c. So that inferiour Governours are by the expresse Commandement of God to be obeyed as well as the Superiour Now then put the case that the inferiour Governour requires that which is only honest agreeable to the Laws of God and of Nature as viz. that we should doe our best to defend our selves against those that contrary to all

is or ought to be deare and precious unto us and in our miseries and ruines to render our posterities more miserable then we and have advanced their designe this way to that maturity and heighth which we all know and tremble to think of Give me leave in that which remaines to excite and stir you up from the greatest to the least both young and old rich and poore men and women to quit your selves like men yea and if it be possible above the line of men in this great exigency and stresse of imminent danger that hangs over your heads and threatens you every houre Oh let it be as abomination unto us as the very shadow of death to every man woman and child of us not to be active not to lie out and straine our selves to the utmost of our strength and power in every kinde as far as the Law of God and nature will suffer us to resist that high hand of iniquity and blood that is stretched out against us to make our lives and our liberties and our Religion good against that accursed Generation that now magnifieth themselves to make a prey and spoyle of them to make havock and desolation of them all at once if the Lord shall yet please to deliver us out of their hands Let not our Lives our Liberties our Estates be at all precious or deare unto us in this behalfe to expose them be it unto the greatest danger to prevent the certaine and most unquestionable ruine of them otherwise Let us resolve to put all into the hands of God to prevent the falling of all or any thing into the hands of these men There is neither man nor woman of us neither young nor old but hath somewhat or other more or lesse a Mite or two at least to cast into the Treasury of the Publike safety Men that have strength of body for the War and fingers that know how to fight let them to the Battell and not feare to look the enemy in the face Men and women that have only Purses and Estates let them turne them into men and swords for the Battell Men that have heads but want armes and hands for outward execution let these study and contrive methods and wayes of proceedings Head-worke is every whit as necessary in such a time and exigent as hand-work is They that have neither hands nor heads nor estates let them finde hearts to keep the Mountain of God to pray the enemies downe and the Armies of the Lord up Let them finde tongues to whet up the courage and resolutions of others This is a service wherein women also may quit themselves like men whose prayers commonly are as masculine and doe as great and severe execution as the prayers of men As for little Children that know not the right hand from the left and so are uncapable of exhortation or putting on this way by their weaknesse and innocency innocency I meane as concerning the enemies and giving them the least cause or colour of their bloody intendments as likewise in respect of the crying sins and horrid provocations of other men they doe every whit as much towards the furtherance of the service as men doe by their strength by their wisdome by their estates or otherwise as we see in the case of Gods sparing Niniveh The sixscore thousand Children that knew not their right hand from the left were the great intercessors and chiefe mediators in the behalfe of the City with him Yea the bruit beasts themselves the Cattell their case and condition working upon the goodnesse and graciousnesse of God were contributors too in their nature towards this service As is to be seen in the last clause of the place cited from the Prophet Jonah And should not I spare Niniveh c. and also much Cattell Therefore now I beseech you that are capable of the great evils and dangers that threaten you and are even at your doore be not you wanting and backward in any thing that is in your hand to doe if it be possible and as far as in you lyeth redeeme your lives with your lives your estates with your estates your Religion with your Religion out of the hands of those men set them all to work for their own maintenance and preservation yea if you know how to create more strength then you have or to improve your selves seventy times seven fold above the proportion of any your present abilities I beseech you doe it at least be willing as the Apostle beares the Corinthians witnesse they were in a case not altogether unlike above that you are able that so you may be sure to give out your selves to the utmost of your ability the more freely Give me leave to set an edge upon you to quicken and encourage you to strengthen your hand to the worke by the tender only of two motives or considerations unto you 1. Consider that the cause wherein you are desired and exhorted to appeare and to engage your selves to the utmost is like unto the Law of God it selfe in those excellent qualifications of it it is just and holy and good there is nothing in it that should make you ashamed either before God or justly-judging men nothing that needs make you tender or holding off in point of conscience You are to stand up in the defence of your Lives your Liberties your Estates your Houses your Wives your Children your Brethren and that not of this Nation only but of those two other Nations likewise united under the same government with this in the defence of those Religious and faithfull Governours that Honourable Assembly of Parliament whose power and priviledges you stand bound by your solemn Vow and Protestation unto God besides many bands of conscience otherwise to defend and maintaine with your lives power and estates Yea in defence of his Majesties royall person honour and estate all which are now in eminent danger to suffer by that accursed retinue of vile persons that are gathered about him as Ivie about an Oake which never suffers it to thrive or prosper till it be torne off from it This men that have their eyes open may easily see and discerne though others make a mock and a scorn of such an assertion as ridiculous But so did Lots sons in Sodome by that saying of his unto them That the Lord would destroy the place and City where they were Gen. 19. 14. which yet was a serious and solemne truth Yea and further you are exhorted to stand up in defence of the true Protestant Religion for the name and honour of your God your Ordinances and which ought to be of very deare and precious consideration to you for the safe conveyance of that great treasure of the Gospel over unto your posterities that are yet unborne Here is nothing in all this but what the manifest Law of God and the common light of nature not only warranteth and alloweth in all men but even leadeth perswadeth yea urgeth

Protestation or no it is not much materiall in this respect because he stands bound in conscience otherwise and by the Law of God to doe it Now suppose such a man cannot performe this Vow or doe that which is his duty to do otherwise therein but by a strong hand and taking up Armes In this case if a King commands such a man not to take up Armes in relation to such a defence it is evident that this unlawfull command of a King cannot be disobeyed but by taking up Armes against it There are many other cases of the same consideration and rule with this 2. I answer further That it is one thing to offer violence to the person of a King or Ruler or to attempt the taking away of his life another to secure a mans own life or the life of another whom we know to be innocent and much more the publike safety by strengthening a mans selfe to withstand the violent execution of any unjust command from a King by those that have no right or lawfull authority at all to doe any such execution upon us As for offering violence to the person of a King or attempting to take away his life we leave the proofe of the lawfulnesse of this to those profound disputers the Jesuits who stand ingaged by the tenour of their professed Doctrine and practise either to make good the lawfulnesse thereof or else to leave themselves and their Religion an abhorring and hissing unto the world As for us who never travelled with any desires or thoughts that way but abhor both mother and daughter doctrine and practise together we conceive it to be a just Prerogative of the Persons of Kings in what case soever to be secure from the violence of men and their lives to be as consecrated Corne meet to be reaped and gathered only by the hand of God himselfe Davids conscience smote him when he came but so neare the life of a King as the cutting off of the lap of his garment But as concerning a forcible withstanding or resistance making against a violent execution of any unjust command from a King attempted by those that have no rightfull or lawfull authority to do such execution either upon us or others yea though the King himselfe be at hand to second his instruments in the execution of such commands we have sufficient warrant for the lawfulnesse hereof in the Scriptures themselves When Ahab sent a Cavaliere you may call him a man of blood to take away the Prophet Elisha's head as he sate in his house amongst the Elders 2 King 6. 32. did Elisha set open his doore for him and sit still till he took off his head in obedience to the King No he bestirred himselfe for the safeguard of his life and called upon others to stand by him and assist him against that outrage and violence intended against him yea and this without any brand or blemish of any rebellion or disobedience to the King yea though he spake somewhat roundly and freely of the King himselfe See yee not saith he to the Elders that were with him how this son of a murtherer meaning no beggars no lesse then Ahab himself the King hath sent to take away mine head Take heed when the Messenger commeth and shut the doore and handle him roughly at the doore Is not the sound of his Masters feet behinde him Surely he that went thus far for the safety of his life when he was but in danger of being assaulted would have gone further if occasion or necessity had been and in case the Kings Butcher had got in to him before the doore had been shut if he had been able and had had no other meanes to have saved his owne head but by taking away the others there is little question to be made but he would rather have taken then given a head in this case So when Saul the King would needs have had Jonathan put to death yea and had bound himselfe with an oath or curse to h●ve it so yea and that twice over for failing the people knowing that Jonathan had committed nothing worthy of death though the King thought he had but that contrarily he had deserved well of the State and had mightily delivered Israel as the words of the Text are delivered him by a strong hand out of the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 14. 45. Neither is there the least aspersion or imputation cast upon this People for this fact of theirs as if they had beene any wayes injurious or disobedient to their King Nay it appeares by the sequell of the Story that Saul himselfe though a man not of the best disposition when the turbidum intervallum the fit of passion was over took it no wayes amisse at the hands of the people that they had resisted him in that unreasonable and inconsiderate designe of his against Jonathan but went on and raigned peaceably over them David in like manner being unjustly persecuted by Saul and those gracelesse and base flatterers that assisted him in that ungracious designe and being in danger of his life by them did hee either sit still to see whether God would in an extraordinary and miraculous way protect him or no Or did he submit himselfe to Sauls mercy and lay downe his life at his feet No but on the contrary he provided himself with weapons the best that were to be had 1 Sam. 21. 89. And willingly entertained for the safeguard of life and to make resistance against Saul and his party all the help of men he could come by making himselfe an head or Captaine over them 1 Sam. 22. 2. And yet all this while David was but one single man and that of a private and mean condition in comparison And this my Brethren is the very case that is now before you or if there be any difference in respect of a justifiablenesse in the one above the other all the advantage which certainly is very much lies on your side your scale is much the better weight The●e are sons of Belial that are risen up against you full of a spirit of hatred and revenge against you who partly in plaine words and without Parables partly by their insolent carriages and behaviours towards others of the same spirit and cause with you threaten you with the utmost insolencies they can execute upon you and in effect to stretch the line of miserable and wofull Ireland over you and your City and whole Nation These either have or pre●end to have a Warrant or Commission from the King to doe what they doe to make prey and spoile of you your lives and liberties and all that you have just as the Messenger had from Ahab that was sent to take away the Prophets head as you heard or as those had from Saul that went to lay hold of Jonathan to put him to death Now then the question is whether it be lawfull for you to stand upon your guard in this case and to seeke

of God obeying this in the stead remained untouched of the fire in the midst of the furnace Dan. 3. 22. So the men of Israel that had obeyed the commandement of Saul in giving their assistance to him for the persecuting of David were punished together with Saul fleeing and falling down wounded before the Philistines as Peter Martyr hath well observed upon 1 Sam. 31. 1. So of that great Host of Assyrians that joyned with their King in an unlawfull war against the Church and People of God there were 185000. slaine in one night by an Angel 2 King 19. 35. To passe by all other examples of the severity of God in this kinde that is most worthy consideration which is recorded 2 Chron. 24. It is said ver. 17. That after the death of Jehoiada the Princes of Iuda came and did reverence unto the King and that the King hearkened to them Not long after They conspired together against Zachariah a faithfull Prophet of the Lord for dealing faithfully with them and at the Kings commandement stoned him with stones in the Court of the house of the Lord ver. 21. But saith the Story ver. 23. it came to passe at the end of the yeare that the host of Syria came up against him and they came to Iuda and Ierusalem and destroyed all the Princes of the People from among the People c. The just revenging hand of God singling out from amongst many thousands those persons by name who had obeyed the King in a way of unrighteousnesse though they were the chiefest and greatest of them and in that respect in all likelihood kept furthest off from the danger and had more outward provision for their safety then others 6. And lastly for this If this liberty we speak of of examining the commands of Kings and other Superiours were granted unto and used by those that are in subjection it would not devest or bereave Kings or Rulers of any obedience at all that were worth the having or receiving from men or that were truly honourable or safe for them to receive All that in reason it could be conceived to doe in this kinde is to prevent and cut off all such obedience from Kings which would endanger their cutting off and their States and Kingdomes with them If this liberty or duty rather of examining the Commands of Superiours had been preached and pressed upon the consciences of men with that authority and power which the truth and high concernment of it will beare or rather indeed required those crownes might have flourished upon the heads of Kings which now begin to droope and languish and those Nations enioyed abundance of peace under them the foundations of whose safety are now shaken Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement because he willingly followed the commandement viz. of King Jeroboam who commanded the worshipping of the golden Calfe Hos. 5. 11. Here is the fruit of the forwardnesse of a Nation to obey and comply with an Idolatrous King even to be oppressed and broken in judgement .i. Not only to be sorely afflicted but utterly ruined and destroyed and that in a course of iustice and of the righteous proceedings of God against them In this cup of trembling and astonishment which they were compelled to drink from the hand of God there was none other ingredient but their own wayes and that which it seemes was predominant in the mixture was their forwardnesse to side with their King in that false Religion and worship which he maintained And for the ruine and destruction of Jeroboam himselfe and his house that is much considerable from the pen of the H. Ghost that it is not ascribed so much to his sin wickedness in comm●nding Idolatry as to the sin wickedness of the people in obeying And this thing saith the history speaking of Jeroboam's Calfe and command given to the people to worship them 1 King 12. 30 turned to sin meaning to a provocation of a very high nature to such a sin which even rooted out and destroyed the house of Jeroboam from the face of the earth Cap. 13. 34. But how or by what meanes did Jeroboams Calves and Idolatrous commands concerning them turne to such a sin or provocation as was his ruine The Holy Ghost ascribes this to the obedience of the People in this behalfe And this thing turned to sin for the people went to worship before the one even unto Dan. Clearely implying that that sin which was the ruine and rooting out of Ieroboam and his house was not so much his wicked and Idolatrous command considered simply and in it selfe but as it found obedience and subiection in the people The people in true accompt who magnified Ieroboam in his commands above God in his were they that ruined both Ieroboam and his house And generelly all that Kings and Princes gaine by an unlawfull subiection and obedience from their People is little else but the kindling of the fire of Gods iealousie against them I am the Lord saith God Esa. 42. 8. this is my Name and my glory will not I give to another .i. I will not suffer it to be given to nor to be received by another I will sell it deare to him that shall own it and will recover it out of his ruine We know Herod was smitten by an Angell from heaven and soon cast up that morsell of divine honour which he had swallowed by a miserable shamefull and loathsome death As those that make Images of wood stone silver go●d or the like to be adored and worshipped doe the greatest iniury that may be to those poore innocent creatures they expose them to the fury and iealousie of God whereby they commonly suffer a dissolution of their beeing before their time as the brasse whereof the brazen Serpent was made did being broken all to pieces when incense was once offered unto it 2 Kin. 18. 4. and the gold whereof Aarons Calfe was made being burnt in the fire and stamped and ground small even to very dust and this also cast into the river Deut. 9. 21. So they that will devest the great God of heaven and earth to cloath Kings and Princes or whomsoever with the spoiles of his Name as all those doe who obey them with disobedience unto God as in one sence they make them gods so in another by making them gods they make them indeed more men then they were more obnoxions to his displeasure who hath the command of their life and breath Consider that passage to omit many others of like importance which you shall finde Esa. 1. 31. And the strong .i. the Idoll either because in the Idolaters conceit it is strong like a god or rather strong in respect of the firmnesse and durablenes of the matter of it Shall be as Tow and the maker therof as a Spark they shall both burne together and none shall quench them Marke well How strong and durable soever the matter is whereof the Idoll is made whether it