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	majesty_n	parliament_n	3,897	5	6.3360	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90968	The pulpit incendiary: or, The divinity and devotion of Mr. Calamy, Mr. Case, Mr. Cauton, Mr. Cranford, and other Sion-Colledge preachers in their morning-exercises, with the keen and angry application thereof unto the Parliament and Army. Together with a true vindication of the Covenant from the false glosses put upon it, and a plain indication of Covenant-breakers. Published according to order.	Price, John, Citizen of London.	1648 (1648)	Wing P3346; Thomason E438_10; ESTC R203205	55,372	67

appeares in the contrary wee shall still conceive so and the truth is that branch yeelds such 〈◊〉 as if it did still grow upon that old stock and was not removed thence their words and wayes being as like the Bishops as one egg is like another did the Prelates endeavour to get power into their hands to suppresse their brethren so doe the Sion Colledge-men did the Prelate● debase abuse and vilifie those that would not stoop unto their humours so doe these did the Prelates raile against their Non-conformists calling them heretickes schismatickes separatists sectaries so doe these did the Prelates make divisions disturbances and distractions in the Common-wealth so doe these did the Prelates vex and g●●d even Lords Knights Esquires Justice● Gentlemen that did not humour them subject themselves unto them help up their glory so doe these even the Parliament Army people all that will not submit unto them so that as the maid said unto Peter Surely thou wert with him speaking of Christ thy very speech bewraieth thee so may wee guesse shrewdly of these mens relation unto Prelacy their very speech wayes practises bewraye● them and wee beleeve so ingeniously of them that they dare not curse and swear the contrary as not depending on that Hierarchy as for our endeavours to root out superstition heresie schisme and prophanenesse we can expect little successe from the methods and wayes of these men to that purpose if they root out SUPERSTITION upon supposition that they are a branch of Epis●opacy they must root out themselves as for HERESIE they talke much of it but never informs us what it is except it be what they please to call so and most confident wee are that the truth it selfe as Christ crucified among theeves is branded with error and heresie and many of themselves disagreeing among themselves as they did about the crucifying of Christ some saying Wee see no reason or cause at all why such an opinion should be numbred and dealt withall as an error or heresie others intimating that these might have escaped had they not appeal'd unto the judgement and learning of such and such anti-highPresbyterians for their vindication but the truth is most of them like the common people without debate examination and consideration cry out Away with them away with them and subscribes presently for the suppression with club-law as the Jews dealt with Christ of many of the truths of God under the notion of errors and heresies as for SCHISME most confident we are that they make more Schismaticks and SCHISMES rents and divisions in Church and Common-wealth than any others whatsoever driving men from them as not being able alwayes to beare bitter clamorous invectives instead of the sweet and precious Word of life for PROPHANENESSE and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godlinesse some of these men rather support than suppresse the same is it not PROPHANENESSE contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godlinesse to revile the onely visible authority of the Kingdome the Parliament as Covenant breakers as Mr. Cawton and that Mr. Jenkins and others What can men say to such expressions as these and that in prayer which dictates more plainly the true frame of heart than at another time Lord we have a Parliament such an one as it is we doe not know whether it be a Parliament or no if it be a Parliament Lord deliver us by a Parliament if it be not a Parliament Lord deliver us from a Parliament A man would think that such a piece of non-sensicall invectives could not be found in the lips of a man of learning and goodnesse but it is an intolerable and unsufferable CASE not to be indured by ingenious men Againe is it not PROPHANENESSE to abuse the Army who have made themselves walls and bulwarks unto them ready upon all occasions to interpose between them and ruine and destruction by whose courage valour and faithfulnesse these men live and enjoy themselves calling them a rebellious Army a viperous brood a generation of vipers as that Rhetoricall Mr. Cawton An Army of Rebells as that conceited Mr. Jenkins An Oppressing Army as Mr. Ash did if this be not contrary to found doctrine and the power of godlinesse with Sion Colledge-men most confident we are it is so reputed amongst others that never pretended to such exactnesse as they doe and how the Lord can be one and his Name one in any one of the Kingdomes much lesse in the three Kingdomes while these things are practised we cannot conceive In the third Article we swear that we shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our severall vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the rights and priviledges of the Parliament and the liberties of the Kingdomes and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person● and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and liberties of the Kingdomes c. As for this Article of the Covenant if to vilifie the Parliament in the face of the people if to charge them with Covenant-breaking as Mr. Cawton and Mr. Jenkins have done if to lay our evils miseries errors schismes heresies blasphemies of the times at the Parliaments dores as Mr. Witham did if to gird and fling and fly out against them from day to day at Mr. Case doth if to represent the Parliaments proceedings against Delinquents as punishing men for keeping Covenant as many of them doe if these things are to preserve the rights and priviledges of Parliament c. then doe these keep their Covenant yea at a higher rate of excellency than other men doe but if to doe these is absolutely to break the Covenant then are these as palpable Covenant-breakers as any are in the Kingdome In the fourth Article of the Covenant we swear to endeavour the discovery of incondiaries malignants evill instruments by hindering reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one of his Kingdomes from another or making any faction or parties among the people contrary to his League and Covenant that they may be brought to publick tryall and receive condigne punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve c. Whether any of these Sion Colledge-men were so far from discovering incendiaries malignants and 〈◊〉 instruments as that some of them did encourage that rebellious force upon the Houses of Parliament is not onely knowne unto their own Consciences but unto some others and most notorious it is how carefull some of them have been to dis●● incendiaries malignants and evill instruments by their animating and stirring up a partie against the Army when they came to the Citie by their daily invectives against Parliament and Army by their kin●ling and e●flaming mens spirits each against others declaiming against moderation and those Ministers and others that shall engage for Christian forbearance and meeknest towards dissenting breth●en if their d●ssenting brethren should have been found in such

by Mr. Calamy and his party what is this but what hath been Who governed the Kingdome almost when the Parliament was forced by the grand Assertors of Sion Colledge cause and their sturdy boye● to doe and undoe call and recall vote and revote what Orders and Ordinances they pleased Which of you have publickly declaimed against that unparaleld and horrible rebellion either in Pulpi● or Presse Doe you suppose that we can be so dim-sighted or so dull-headed that we neither perceive nor remember these things Had that villanous act been committed by the men of your wrath the non-conformists to your present practice how would you have beaten the eares of your auditors with the sound thereof What was in designe when Massie Poynz and other Reformadoes those famously pious and religious zelots for a blessed Reformation were entertained courted and advanced you know where by whom and by whose influence but for the raising of a factious party to destroy the Armies order the Parliament and govern the Kingdome almost Were they not the Prophets of Sion Colledge that said unto them Go on and prosper go out to meet with that proud and blasphemous Army the Lord hath delivered them into your hands though they have prospered in many battels and enterprises as that blasphemous Army of Senacharib did yet as that Army fell and was destroyed comming against Jerusalem so shall this Army comming to this City therefore goe out and feare them not Was it not the Oracle of Sion Colledge that deceived chanted and charmed severall of our weak and simple-hearted Citizens under the deceitfull notion of keeping covenant promoting reformation establishing religion suppressing error heresie blasphemy into such destructive wayes practices and courses which had not a hand of mercy from heaven graciously interposed would have engaged us all into another unnaturall bloody and cruell warre and without the mercy candor and goodnesse of the Parliament will prove the utter ruine of them and their families who were seduced thereby it was their Leaders that caused them to erre The truth is we commend your charity more in praying for their support in and deliverance from prison than your piety in exhorting them into such actions which brought them thither We shall say no more to your uncivill termes of men raised up from the dunghill to govern the Kingdome almost onely we are apt to beleeve your greatest trouble is that men raised up from the dunghill are not permitted to govern the Kingdome almost For do we not see the center of all your motions What is our reformation but Presbytery What is our solemne league and covenant but Presbytery What is our zeale for God the government of Jesus Christ religion c. but Presbytery Who are the Sectaries and Schismatickes of the times but non embracers of Presbytery And what is Presbytery Surely when we perceive that all that the Parliament hath done by Orders Ordinances c. to establish Presbytery in such a manner as may stand with the word of God and peace of the kingdome yet will not give you content but H●man-like you cry out what is all this so long as M●rd●cai sits in the Kings Gate and a Decree cannot be procured from the Parliament for the ruine of those whose lawes of Church government are divers from yours what can you meane by such a Presbytery but the meere exalting of men raised up from the dunghill to govern the kingdome almost Mr. Calamy civility doth as well become the Pulpit as Nobility the Throne Dunghill men doe not become the Seat of Magistracy nor dunghill termes the mouth of the Ministery Divinity doth not so much appropriate basenesse to mens persons as to mens practises evill words do corrupt good manners but never confirmes divine Doctrine When we come to hear YOU we expect to be instructed in Divinity and not to be corrupted in Civility if we had a desire to learn the language of Billinsgate we should not have gone to Michaels Cornhill in London especially when Mr. Calamy was the Teacher If by your base men you intended the Parliament that these are Dunghillmen raised up from the Dunghill it is a most impudent and intolerable scandall if the Army a most daring and unsufferable slander so that the best is scandalous or slanderous if you intended the Parliament the Army may better escape the reflection thereof than the Parliament can if you intended the Army For suppose you judge the Army not the Parliament the Dunghill men that doe governe the Kingdom almost it must needs be by their governing the Parliament almost and doe not you thereby represent the Parliament to be Dunghill men in suffering themselves to be governed by men raised up from the Dunghill Sir had we a pleasure to be dabling in such filth you have afforded enough of this nature once and again but we desire you would not offend our eares any more herewith Surely the waters of the Sanctuary if genuine are more pure and it is not corrupt communication which becomes the Pulpit but onely such which tends to the use of edifying and remember Sir that the words of the pure are pleasant words Proverbs 15. 26. Mr. Cawton Minister at Bartholomew Exchange London at a morning Lecture at Woodstreet about the 17. of February 1647 preaching upon the 17 of Job v. 8. The Innocent shall stirre up himselfe against the Hypoer●e did most uncivilly and maliciously inveigh against the Army thus Who drave awa● on● good members from the Parliament but THAT GENERATION OF VIPERS THE ARMY Who REBELLED against the authority of Parliament and denied to disband at Chèlmsford c. but that VIPEROUS BROOD THE ARMY proposing severall queries one after another making the answer to be in expresse tearmes the viperous brood the Army the generation of vipers the Army the rebellious Army And preaching upon the same Text the next moneth in Walbrooke at a morning Lecture said thus If the Army had not REBELLED and the Parliament had KEPT THEIR COVENANT we had a bless●d Reformation before this time c. And in Woodstreet speaking about Independents said thus This plot was discovered five or six yeares agoe those that then did set themselves against the hypocrites did clearly discern it but then the cry was Alas they are honest men and pious godly men and usefull in the Church of God and we must use moderation and they must come up into our Pulpits forsooth but now you see what your honest and moderate men are And speaking of the Army thus You must suffer them to goe through the Citie and they would doe no hurt c. But it was the greatest dishonour that ever fell upon the Citie professing his zeale in speaking plai●●y of these things and bewailing the mealy-mouthednesse of the Ministers in mincing and not speaking out these things to the people and in his prayers earnestly pleaded the cause of those worthy Citizens that were cast into prison for their faithfulnesse to the

Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of faith forme of Church government Directory for worship and catechizing that wee and our posterity after us may as brethren live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to d●ell in the midst of us First What is here for Presbytery especially a vexatious Presbytery a briery thorny persecuting Presbytery Wee have engaged our selves for the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and government doth that justifie your railing against your brethren and your charging the Parliament with Covenant-breaking as Mr. Cawton and that peremptory Mr. Jenkins have done in expresse termes What an affront is this upon our brethren of Scotland as if the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of our brethren of Scotland were constituted framed and calculated for the Meridian of wilde beasts of the Desert for Gim and Ogim owles and satyres dragons and vultures that live and prey upon their fellow-creatures and not for the sonnes of Sion who are the children of peace Doe you represent the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of our brethren of Scotland in such horrid black and bloudy colours as such a taking object unto the sonnes of England if the Cannons and Laws Edicts and Orders Statutes and Ordinances of the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of the Church of Scotland enjoyns to raile and rage slander and abuse Magistrates or Ministers Parliament or people that will not act according to the fiery fierce and furious motions of peevish froward and angry spirits such Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government doth more become the American Pequids Cannibals or Men eaters in New-England than those that have heard of a Gospel of peace or the least sound of that sweet Commandement of Jesus Christ our liege Lord who hath said This is my Commandement that yee love one another Secondly Are not Presbyterians by this Covenant as well bound to hearken to the counsels of their dissenting brethren as their dissenting brethren to hearken to their counsels and is not Scotland as well engaged to listen to the advice of England as England to Scotland For are not all of them to make THE WORD OF GOD AND THE EXAMPLE OF THE BEST REFORMED CHURCHES whose walking must be judged by their conformity to the Word of God the golden Standard to measure them by Thirdly who must judge and determine the meaning of the Covenant Presbytery is not in the letter of the covenant and we hope though we doe not in the least implead a holy godly peacefull and pious Presbytery but doe wait and hope for the establishment of it in all our Congregations in the Kingdome that such a Presbytery as seems now to be contended for will never be found to be the meaning of those that imposed the covenant Shall the Parliament of England enjoyn a Covenant upon the people and Sion Colledge in London give nay command or conjure such a meaning into it as was never intended what is this but to put Sion Colledge above the Parliament of England The Parliament of England commands the Kingdome to take the Covenant and Sion Colledge upon the matter commands the Parliament to subject themselves unto their interpretation thereof upon pain of being arraigned in their Pulpits for Covenant-breakers forsakers of their first love yea and of vilifying scorning and abusing them in the eyes of the people stirring up a spirit of contempt in the people against them as many of you have done from day to day Fourthly what is such an interpretation of the covenant but a meere prophaning of the covenant it selfe Does the covenant obliege us to raile and rage revile and abuse men that are holy learned godly peaceable usefull in Church and common-wealth to brand them with the odious names of Heretickes Separatists Schismaticks c. who cannot subject themselves we say not to the covenant for they took it yea defended the taking of it yea stirred up their brethren to take it in its true proper naturall genuine and literall meaning of it but unto such a sense meaning and interpretation as will serve onely to drive on the designes of the faction of Sion Colledge for most confident we are there is at this day no faction in the Kingdome more dangerous and obnoxious unto the peace prosperity and welfare of the Parliament Army and consequently whole Kingdome THAN SION COLLEDGE IS What greater dishonour indignity and scorne can be put upon the SO●EMNE LEAGUE AND COVENANT than to justifie not onely those bitter cruell unbrotherly unchristian nay unnaturall invectives each against other but rebellion treason mutini●s insurrections against the Parliament and Army the raising up of new warres to the utter ruine of the whole kingdome as the sense and meaning of the solemne League and Covenant and do not many of you in your prayers and Sermons justifie the proceedings of those members that fled beyond seas from the justice of the Parliament and the prisoners in the Tower committed thither by Parliaments order for such misdemeanours in pleading their cause with God as men persecuted imprisoned for nothing but keeping their solemne League and Covenant professing for your selves and others that you own their cause so deluding and captivating the judgement● and consciences of many of your hearers as you did some at least of those said prisoners who doubtlesse in the simplicity of their hearts were charmed into that delinquencie through your devout chantings under the colour of zeale for the glory of God a blessed ref●rmation and we know not what as that they are ready upon all 〈◊〉 to side with any mu●inous insurrections against the Parliament and Army what is this but to abuse and prophane the innocent Covenant which intended union peace love and goodnesse amongst brethren and the banding them together as one man against the common enemy Doubtlesse the true naturall soule and spirit of the Covenant was Union and not division amongst brethren But when men force that soule out of the Covenant we mean that meaning of the covenant which is naturall and possesse it with a contrary spirit or meaning though it pretends zeale for God and a blest reformation c. yet this is to represent the covenant like Samuels body without his naturall soule possessed with the spirit of Satan speaking indeed like Samuel but with a wicked and Satanicall designe what is this but to make the covenant not like an Angel of God a messenger of peace and union among brethren but a very Fury from beneath furnishing men with fire-brands to hurle and throw each against other to the danger of fiering and enflaming the whole kingdome You complain of contempt of the covenant that it is looked upon as an Almanack out of date