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
B05846	A letter from Mr Alexander Sheilds, minister to the regiment whereof the late noble Earl of Angus was colonel, now in Flanders: directed to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which was to have met at Edinburgh in December 1693.	Shields, Alexander, 1660?-1700.	1694 (1694)	Wing S3432A; ESTC R184106	8,941	11

Recruits to make up that one it will not be difficult to fulfil the desire It is a thing unessayable indeed to make an Army of Sa●●● but I humbly conceive it is not so unsensible to get a Regiment of Presbyteri●ns if their Ministers encourage them to ●t II. It is not only lawful and Righteou● but expedient and necessary for 〈◊〉 that have Zeal for the Glory of God the good of the Church and Country thereof they are Members the security of the Government and Laws un●●● which they live a peaceable and quiet Life in all Godliness and honesty ●ot only to wish well and Pray earnestly for these dearest and 〈◊〉 In●●rests But also to Act Content and lay themselves out to the outmost of ●●eir power to help foreward the vigorous prosecution of this War ●●at is so necessary for their preservation and ●●●o clearly and declaredly ●ated not for the petty Intrigues and Emulations of particular ●●inces But for the necessary defence of these greatest concerns so emi●●ntly exposed to hazard and lying at Stake 〈◊〉 in Britain and Ireland ●●ly but all Europe over in opposition to the grass●●● and gr●●ing usur●●tion of the declared Enemies of God and Mankind The quarrel I grant is not formally declared for Religion in that case associati●● 〈◊〉 Papists would not be so clear in a War wherein a Religion contra●●●● 〈◊〉 theirs must be both our motive measure and end but consequentially 〈◊〉 hath such a near connexion with and concern in this great and Righteou● Cause that if the Enemy be suffered to prevail all the legal establishmen● 〈◊〉 of it in 〈◊〉 and all the Re●●●med Churches will be utterly subverted 〈◊〉 and reduced to the desolate condition of the Church in France which 〈◊〉 human deliberation nothing can avert if there be not a more effectua● check given to the insolency and a more universal running to Arms to resist and extinguish the ●ury of these two Smoaking Fire-Brands that threa●on the conflagration of Europe and of Britain with the first And in such a necessary Cause none should reckon themselves more concerned than P●●●byterians who know best the worth of th●se Gracious Interests by their long groaning for the want of them under the late Government And therefore should demonstrat greatest Resolution to maintain them when so far recovered and who had the greatest hand in Exa●ctorating the ●ate King and Establishing this Kings Authority in Scotland And therefore should reckons themselves most obliged to oppose the one and defend the other and whose Zeal for Religion and Liberty hath been so Eminent ●nd ●●●ou● and even to strangers That they expect upon this occasion to find in Flanders whole Brigads of Religious Souldiers And are stumbled when they observe so much Profanity in Officers and Souldiers and Chaplains too of so many Scots Regiments thinking them to be all Presbyterians because coming from a Country where Presbytry is the established order It will be therefore very necessary and expedient upon many accounts that at least you give your help to the compleating of one Regiment that may Answer the Character and maintain the Honour of that name III. Nor ought it to be misregarded or forgotten how much all of us are obliged in point of gratitude as well as necessity to help forward this War in this Country for the more immediate defence of the seven united Provin●●● which are Reformed Sister Churches and upon that account to be carefully preserved which ly next to our own And upon that consideration as an advanced Post to our own Camp ought to be with 〈◊〉 ●reatest concern and Caution defended which have after affoorded a Sanctuary of protection to us and others under ou● persecutions and therefore it is both the least and the best signification of our grateful Respect to their Kindnesses as well as of ●egard to our own interests to s●nd over some Souldiers to Fight in the Fronteers and keep off the Enemy from our own and which to all their former favours have added 〈◊〉 very signally and strongly enforci●●●he ●●●●ion in f●rnishing us with a King who hath been the Honours instr●ment in the hand of God of rescuing us from Poperie and Slavery relieving us from Oppression and Persecution restoring to us Presbyterian Government delivering us from the grievous yoke of Prelacy and of the putting and keeping us in the peaceable possession of our Religion Laws and Liberties And therefore both in Conscience Honour Loyalty and gratitude the Subjects of such a King especially those that are the most sensible 〈◊〉 of such ●avours should be am●●●io●s to ●●●●ce all others in a 〈◊〉 and zealous serving him in these Wars that are so necessary for the p●●●●●vation of these priviledges Shall the Prelatick party th●● canno● be so sensible of the good effects of the change of the Government but rather reckon themselves Injured by the Favours bestowed upon us be ●o thank●●lly forward in his service for the kindnesses extended to th●m 〈◊〉 they can Muster so many brave Regiments ready and 〈◊〉 for the War●●nd will not the Presby●●●ians f●r more obliged for all the Kindnesses the King has sh●w● them do so much as make one Regiment good to serve him abroad whe● he requires and expects it Were not his Constancy Justice and Reg●●●● our better Right greater than the encouragements he gets by any pr●●fs of our thankfulness he might be tempted to weary of bellowing favours upon them that will do him so little service and extend them rather in those that profess more forwardness I shall not mention any services that this particular Regiment hath do●● for your Interest and advantage either at Home o● Abro●● to merit your Kindness not the esteem that the King upon the account thereof hath exprest for 〈◊〉 of such a Character and his desire to have it consist of such But I humbly presume the consideration of Gratitude is m●ny ways strongly urgent that you should lend your hand to make this a good Regiment IV. Nor is it unworthy of consideration that your own 〈…〉 advantage in a prudent respect to probable Events seems to plead for 〈◊〉 ●ame For not only more remotely may it be thought a promising mean ●ith the Blessing of God contributing to the accelerating the overthrow of the publ●●k Enemy and securing the common great interest But in a nea●●r prospect this proof of your Zeal for the King's Service may be none of the most despicable or desperat means and as little inconvenient as any you can use to ingratiat your selves in his favour and promote your interest at Court The seeing of this your concernedness to strengthen his Armies will open his Ears and Heart to your just Requests will con●●●● Friends and give them confidence to appear in your Cause And stop the Mouth of your undermineing Traducers when they shall have to more occasion to Reproach that you will do the King no Service And in case of after Revolutions which all things in time are

subject to or occurring exigences that necessarly require Warlike expeditions if this Regiment be supplyed with honest Recruits it may be a standing Nursery for breeding brave Faithful and Zealous Officers and Souldiers for s●rving their 〈◊〉 and there will not be afterwards that necessity or Excuse for ●●eking or admitting profane Malignant and disaffected Men to these publick Charges and Trusts to which for want of others they have been too commonly advanced to the great detriment and hinderance of a good Work It may be therefore expected of your prudence that you will have some regard to such advantagious Interests and nor always veri●y that Proverb to be only wise behind the ha●d V. It will not be impertinent farther to Refl●ct upon the Honour and Cred●● that may be in doing of such a pie●e o● Service which is a Topick that should not only have force with Souldiers but with Ministers and Christians also ●●●●soever things are Lovely whatsoever things are of good Report if there be any 〈◊〉 and if their be any Praise think on these things I beseech you therefore Reverend and Honoured in the Lord be pleased to th●nk on this a little what a vertue and praise it may be that the Professors o● the ●●ue Religion shall excell the Professors of Profanity in a forwardness to promote a War that is so Righteous and necessary for the Interest of it as much as they do exceed them in zeal to maintain the practice of it And how unseemly and absurd it is that Strangers and Enemies to the practice of Religion should yet be more ambitious to Fight for the outward Interest of it than ●●ey that profess they cannot live without it What a Praise and Glory were 〈◊〉 th●● poor p●●●●●ed Presbyterians who not long ago suffered so much and so long 〈◊〉 adhering to their Reformation and Christian Liberties an● dur●● not 〈◊〉 seen on the Street for fear of Imprisonment and Ba●ishi●●● Hea●●ing and Hanging should now appear 〈◊〉 the Fields ready and resolute to Fight for preserving what they suffered for before and not ashamed nor a●●●d to speak with their Enemies ●n the gate And after having go them in ●ome ●●sure P●●pressed at Home should not confine their zeal to the narrow ●●ounds of their own Country b●t pu●●●e them Abroad and extend it against all the Enemies of all the Churches and then and there make it appear that the change of their Lot hath not changed their Life but that in the midst of a perverse and profane Army They can be us Blameless Harm●●●s and unrebukable in their practice and Strict T●●der and T●nacious in their Principles and Profession when they are in a Fighting ●●fe as before when they were in a suffering Life and make it evident to the Conviction of the World That Suffering and Praying and 〈◊〉 very Compatible And on the other hand what a shame and Scandal is it for Eminent ●●●erers either to turn so filly unconcerned or Faint heatred as to keep altogether aloof from Jeoparding their Lives in the high places of the Fields and coming out to the help of the Lord against the mighty or so narrow private and p●●ching in their Zeal as to re●●● it to endeavours for their own security only and against their nearest and most immediat Enemies within their own Land And that of all the Presbyterians in Scotland whose Zeal and Sufferings and A●tings for Reformation hath been so renowned amongst the Notions now when the●● is opportunity 〈◊〉 them to 〈◊〉 and shi●e and make it better known to the World 〈◊〉 Regiment can be made abroad in●irely consisting of such but that our Troops from S●●tland 〈◊〉 gene●●●ly 〈◊〉 pro●anest ●ossians in the Army an offer●e and s●nn●●●ng ●●th 〈◊〉 ●●●pi●●s and Protestants and that particular Regiment that 〈◊〉 signally heats that Character amongst them and ●f Rec●●●ted might 〈◊〉 in the Credit of it must either turn to nothing or degenerate like the rest to the reproach of all What a Glory and Honour were it for those wh●● for their adhering to their Religion and Liberties and wrestling against Tyrants ●●legal impositions upon their Consciences have been unjustly reproache● with Rebelliousnesse and Disaffection to Monarchy as such that could live under no Government should now as soon as they had got a Government that they might live under Confute and Confound all such lying C●l●mi●ies by making it appear in their present resolutenesse 〈◊〉 promo●e and prosecute this War that they could not indeed bear Ty●●●y and therefore n●w are resolved to spend the last drop of their Blood to withstand its Reintroduction and that they alwayes longed for a Righteous Government and therefore will contribute their utmost to its defence and will sooner part with their lives than be robbed of it again and by demonstrating that they as far exceed others in a resolute resisting these Tyrants aga●nst whom the present War is stated as formerly they 〈◊〉 of their ●●●●ity more than others and that they as far excel all others is a ze●●dou● forwardnesse for the defence of this Government as they 〈◊〉 more obliged man others to the benefits of it and did appear before others to ●●ense the qua●●el of it And on the other hand what a dishonour and disgrace will it be 〈◊〉 ●oly under these C●●●●met and by your remis●●● to imb●●den your Adversaries with open 〈◊〉 more and more to 〈◊〉 that the Presbyterians in Scotland are either despe●●ally weak that they cannot give the King a Regiment 〈◊〉 serve him in the Wars abroad and that 〈◊〉 he ought to despise them as a People ●hat can do him no services Or so perve●●ly wicked that they can rise in Rebellions and fight against Kings b●t for none Or so disorderly wilful that they can be Sould●●●s at Home where when they weary they can have access mutinously to desert but not abroad in a well disciplined Army And finally what an Honour and Credit as well as Interest were it to have a number of honest 〈◊〉 brav● Officers and So●ldiers trained o● to the Art of War intirely devot●●● the interest of God that might upon all occasions when need re●●●●● do their Countrey eminent and Faithful Service And on the other hand what an unaccountable discred●●●ir 〈◊〉 well as ●●●ful when ever there is need of Souldiers to be forced to make recourse told Principled and Scandalous men who are both a shame to the Cause and may be tempted to betray it I know and will acknowledge Much Respected Brethren that your Humility together with your present humbling difficulties will not allow you to 〈◊〉 great things of this Nature and that do your best it is impossible to avoid all reproaches of ●●ing Mouths but I am so Ambitious as to presume the Rec●●ting of this Regiment with Presbyterians will neither ●●●flect upon you● 〈◊〉 Honour● but effectually re●●te several Reproa●he VI Unto this I subjoine the many encouragements that may invi●● allure Honest Men which are such 〈◊〉 are not alwayes nor every where common and without which I 〈◊〉 no● 〈◊〉 the Confidence to 〈◊〉 them to a Lot and Con●●●●ship commonly so ob●●xious t● Sins 〈◊〉 and Sorrows Here they may be Encouraged not only to be good Souldiers by the Kings presence and example but to be good 〈◊〉 if they will respect either the Law● of God or the Kings orders 〈◊〉 encourage the Religious hath used many ende●vours to Reform the Vicious by d●spersing Books among them for that 〈◊〉 and by many repeated Proclamations of Edicts for punishing them And in this Regiment tho' now much 〈◊〉 worsted 〈◊〉 may expect yet a serious pious Remnant with whom they may have 〈…〉 in Religious Duties to which they may also be encouraged by the Kings expressed desire and expectation that it should be Recr●●●●● 〈◊〉 and by his several ways signifying his respect to us upon 〈…〉 granting ●●●se Requests and upon our application keeping f●om us 〈◊〉 ill Off●●●● that othe●ways would have been imposed upon us He hath now 〈…〉 Honourable Colonel J●●●●son to be ●ur C●●●●● who●● 〈…〉 Honest Men to fill up the Vacancies of his Regiment promises upon his word of Honour 〈…〉 by all ●●cur●●●es that if they d●sire 〈◊〉 shall give them their Discharge at the end of three 〈◊〉 I need 〈◊〉 add how convenient 〈…〉 have so many together 〈◊〉 one 〈◊〉 and way whereby 〈◊〉 need no● 〈◊〉 the insultings of any 〈…〉 may thereby find to promote good things b●th among our 〈…〉 others that otherways we can hav● no Capacity nor op●●●tunity for no● how inconvenient it will be that the King should 〈◊〉 disappointed our Officers affronted our Maligners hands strengthned and 〈◊〉 Friends more and more weakned I shall therefore ●●●lude Begging you will be pleased to conside●●●●●●●●●en 〈◊〉 Communica● these o● other more engaging perswasive●● 〈…〉 Honest Men to come over with our Officers Whereby you 〈◊〉 the greatest a●t of Charity and compassion towards your po●●●● unworthy Brother here le●t alone as if it were in Meshech and Tents 〈…〉 Which yet by this you shall convert into a little Zion and Enco●●●● 〈◊〉 Live and D●● with these honest Isra●lites that you shall commend 〈◊〉 my Charge And to endure with all Chearfulness all the Fatiqu●●●●●ouble and Hazards of these weary Wars Otherways if I may not on●● 〈◊〉 this desire My next must be to Be●● for the Lords sake that you would relieve me of this Banishment and allow me to see the Lords Ar● and Habitati●s ●gain in my Native Country● in the mean time hoping you will pleas●● 〈…〉 mo●e the 〈…〉 ●hat is said than the unwor●●● 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 And Begging pardon for this presumption and ●●●xness ●●●bsci●●● my self Reverend Brethren and Fathers Your Son Brother Servant and Supplicant Alexander Sheilds