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	prince_n	subject_n	3,995	5	6.4954	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64635	Certain discourses, viz. of Babylon (Rev. 18. 4.) being the present See of Rome (with a sermon of Bishop Bedels upon the same words) of laying on of hands (Heb. 6. 2.) to be an ordained ministry, of the old form of words in ordination, of a set form of prayer : each being the judgment of the late Arch-bishop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland / published and enlarged by Nicholas Bernard ... : unto which is added a character of Bishop Bedel, and an answer to Mr. Pierces fifth letter concerning the late Primate.	Ussher, James, 1581-1656.; Bedell, William, 1571-1642.; Bernard, Nicholas, d. 1661.	1659 (1659)	Wing U161; ESTC R10033	109,687	392

greatnesse after the doctrine and the example of our Saviour should chiefly stand in humbling themselves And that the Bishop of Rome did by intolerable ambition challenge not only to be the head of all the Church dispersed throughout the world but also to be Lord of all kingdoms of the world as is expressely set forth in the book of his own Canon-Lawes He became at once the spoyler and destroyer both of the Church which is the kingdom of our Saviour Christ and of the Christian Empire and all Christian kingdomes as an universal Tyrant over all The particulars of whose actions to that end are there related viz. The Bishop of Rome stirring up subjects to rebell against their Soveraigne Lords even the Son against the Father pronouncing such Schismaticks and persecuting them who resused to acknowledge his above-said challenge of supreme authority over them discharging them from their oath of fidelity made not only to the Emperour but to other Kings and Princes throughout Christendome The most cruell and bloody wars raised amongst Christian Princes of all kingdoms the horrible murder of infinite thousands of Christian men being slain by Christians the losse of so many great Cities Countries Dominions and Kingdomes sometimes possessed by Christians in Asia Affrick and Europe The miserable fall of the Empire and Church of Greece sometime the most flourishing part of Christendom into the hands of the Turks The lamentable diminishing decay and ruine of Christian Religion and all by the practice and procurement of the Bishop of Rome chiefly which is in the Histories and Chronicles written by the Bishop of Rome's own favourites and friends to be seen claiming also to have divers Princes and Kings to their vassals liege men and subjects c. behaving themselves more like Kings and Emperours in all things then remained like Priests Bishops and Ecclesiastical or as they would be called spiritual persons in any one thing at all c. and so concludes with an exhortation of all good subjects knowing those the speciall instruments of the Devill to the stirring up of all Rebellion to avoid and flee them Is not this a full description of the pride of that man of sinne 2 Thess. 2. in exalting himselfe above all Kings and Princes and that son of perdition being understood actively who was the cause of the perdition or losse of so many thousands of Christian mens lives And in the sixth part of the same Sermon you have a more particular relation of the Bishop of Rome's blood-shed accoding to the description of that Harlot Revel 17. 6. in these words viz. And as these ambitio●s usurpers the Bishops of Rome have overflowed all Italy and Germany with streams of Christian blood shed by the rebellims of ignorant subjects against their naturall Lords and Emperours whom they have stirred thereunto by false pretences so is there no Countrey in Christendome which by the like means of false pretences hath not been over-sprinkled with the blood of subjects by rebellion against their naturall Soveraigns stirred up by the same Bishops of Rome c. And in conclusion as the Sermon often entitles the Bishops of Rome unsatiable wolfes and their Adherents Romish greedy wolfes so doth it in speciall call the See of Rome the Babylonicall beast in these words viz. The Bishop of Rome understanding the bruit blindnesse ignorance and superstition of the English in King Johns time and how much they were inclined to worship the Babilonical beast of Rome and to fear all his threatnings and causelesse curses he abused them thus c. I have transcribed these the more largely out of the Book of Homilies both that such as have rejected them as Popish may see their errour and those that now so much favour the See of Rome that they call such language railing may have their mouthes stopped being it is from the mouth of the Church of England in her Homilies which is a good warrant for her sons to say after her Let the Reader judge whether these passages do not confirme rather then contradict or be contrary as Doctor Heylene saith to the Articles of Ireland and the Primates judgement of the See of Rome I shall only alledge one passage more and that is in the conclusion of the second part of the Sermon for Whit-sunday viz. Wicked and nought were the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the most part as doth well appear by the story of their lives and therefore worthily accounted among the number of false Prophets and false Christs which deceived the world a long while the Lord defend us from their Tyranny and pride that they may never enter into this Vineyard again but that they may be utterly confounded and put to flight in all parts of the world And he of his great mercy so work that the Gospel of his Son may be truly preached to the beating down of sin death the Pope the Devill and all the kingdome of Antichrist c. This latter passage is only produced by Doctor Heylene as an evidence that the Pope is not declared to be Antichrist either here or any where else in the book of Articles or Homilies which how the force of it can be extended so farre beyond its own sphere both not appeare For his principal argument that he finds here the Pope and Antichrist distinguished as much as the Devil and the Pope 'T is answered The destiuction here is not between the Pope and Antichrist but between him and his Antichristian kingdom for the words are not the Pope the Divell and Antichrist but and all the kingdome of Antichrist That Universality all comprehending both head and members And if we should allow a Duumvirate in the Pope and Devill for the government of that kingdom one as the visible head the other as the invisible or the one him that reigneth the other by whom he receiveth power so to do Rev. 13. 4. both might be thus owned without infringing the title of either Howsoever 't is not the arguings from such niceties in the placing of words which the book of Homilies are not strict in as might be shewed in several instances but the observation of the scope and drist of the place the comparing it with others the concurrance of the judgement of severall eminent Bishops afore-cited who cannot be imagined to declare against the doctrine of it will carry the sense of it accordingly with the judicious and unbiassed Reader and so much for the book of Homilies Unto which I might also adde the opinion of some learned men liveing and dying within the outward communion of the Church of Rome To instance onely in Padrio Paulo who wrote the History of the Councill of Trent After whose stabbing by an Emissarie from Rome many of the Clergy of Venice brake out into that application calling that See Impura insana superba meretrix pestis ac lues mortalium and her ruine to be expected according to Rvelat 18. Some of the verses are printed at the end

This Doctrine I know not how it can offend any unless it be in being too Charitable that I am sure is a good fault and serves well for a sure mark of Christs sheep And hath very good opportunity to help Christs people out of Babel by this saith he shall men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have Charitie one to another But they call us Hereticks miscreants Doggs c. and persecute us with more deadly hatred then Jewes and Turks yea this is Babylon and perhaps some of Gods People in it that are misinformed of us Thus did Saul for a while yet a chosen vessel to bear Christs Name over the world But let us maintain our Charitie to them as we are wont to bear with the weakness of our friends or children when in hot Fevers or Plurisies they miscal us Let us remember if they be Christs people how little loving soever they be to us they must be our beloved Brethren and this of the Persons Now let us see their dutie It is the Du●tie of those people of Christ to come out of Babylon that is as we have already shewed the Obedience of the present Roman Monarchy And for this the very authority of Christs Voyce from Heaven should suffice For his sheep hear his voice But if that be yet doubted whether the Papal Monarchy be Babylon let us for the present set aside the mystical Arguments from this place and all other Prophetical Circumstances And let the matter be tried by plainer Arguments at the Bar of Reason out of the common Principles of Christian Doctrine as thus Where the use of Christs Word is forbidden to his people where they lay away the Key of Knowledge and Gods Worship is without understanding in an unknown tongue where Christs Sacraments are corrupted and maimed where Divine worship is communicated to Creatures where Christs Glorious Body is defended to be torn not onely with the teeth of the faithful but also of faithlesse men yea of Rats and Mice where besides a number of other superstitions the effects of Christs blood are communicated to Purgatory fire to Saint Francis frock and the Carmilites scapular where the sole infallible interpretation of Scripture decission of Crntroversies last resolution of our Faith is placed in the brest of one man who may be without true Faith and sound Knowledge of Religion or morall honesty it self where the Doctrine is maintaiued as Catholike that the Pope is Vice-God Monarch of the Christian World Almightie that he can Depose Princes and Expose them to their subjects to be killed Command the Angels with many more like blasphemies From this place and society Christs people are to depart and separate themselves But the present Romane Monarchy is such The conclusion follows undenyable Goe out of her my People Here will I crave leave to answer on Objection that may be made by flesh and blood to be retentive to keep Gods people from hearkning to this voyce of Christ and is used for a motive to draw more also to the Obedience of Rome Gods people of which number I hope I am one may be saved nay which is more cannot perish why should I then be so solicitous if salvation may be had there on the contrary they deny that you have either Church or salvation Therefore it is the safest course by the Opinion of both sides to continue there still I answer This is not the discourse of Christs sheep who make the hearing of his Voice and doing of his Will a higher end then their own salvation but well may become the mouth of those deceivers that would seduce them It is the very language of the old Serpent ye shall not surely die The reason and rule of Obedience is not the avoyding of hell fire or the attaining of bliss of Heaven but the doing of the Will of God And yet supposing this to be true that salvation mae be had in Babylon yet it is attained with great difficulty and as it were through the fire As the Apostle speaketh of those builders which foolishly lay upon the precious foundation of Christ the hay straw and stubble of mens Traditions And there is again a large entrance to be afforded into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ If the graces of Gods Spirit abound in us and make us not barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ. Again ignorance so that it be not wilful and affected may have some pardon but to hold the Truth of God in unrighteousness as all do that receive not the love of the Truth and knowing how they which commit such things are worthy of death yet doe 〈◊〉 same and favour those that doe them The wrath of God from heaven is revealed against such Romans 1. 18. 31. Even the danger of temporal punishment threatned to the sinnes of Rome is not to be neglected Suppose a man were sure to goe to Heaven but although to humane infirmity it may perhaps seem otherwise even the Eternal punishments in Hell are not so great an evil as is the offence of God and partaking of sin Looke therefore as this Sophisme of Sathan is in all other temptations to be answered Thou maiest doe this and yet be saved being of the number of Christs people for David Peter and others although they did such things yet found pardon and salvation so here Nay I will not adventure Gods wrath I have other sinnes enough to answer for My Conscience is more then a thousand witnesses I will not buy repentance so deare and loose the things I have gotten Now should I come to the Motives from the Danger of sinne and of partaking in punishment But the handling of these would require a long time let me rather make some Application of that which hath been said already And First and most properly to those that this Scripture most concerns and is directed unto The People of God holden in the Captivitie of the Romane Babylon But alass they are not here for this is one part of their Captivity that they are kept not onely from hearing the voyce of the Servants of Christ or of Saint Iohn the beloved Disciple but of himselfe speaking here from Heaven And they are so contented what remedy may there be for those that are thus bewitched Unlesse you My L. L ● and Brethren will be contented to become Faithfull Feoffees in trust to convey this Voyce and Message of Christ unto them and by my request you shall be pleased to doe it with a great deale of Love As this President of our Lord himselfe doth leade you as to Brethren and as you hope faithfull People loath to sinne against him desirous to please him in all things Tell them then that it is acknowledged by their owne Doctours That Rome is Babylon and it is averred that this is the present Papall Monarchie that out of this they must depart by the