Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	kingdom_n	law_n	parliament_n	3,975	5	6.2994	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67624	An answer to certain observations of W. Bridges, concerning the present warre against His Majestie whereby hee pretends to justifie it against that hexapla of considerations, viz. theologicall, historicall, legall, criticall, melancholy, and foolish : wherein, as he saith, it is look't upon by the squint-eyed multitude.	Warmstry, Thomas, 1610-1665.	1643 (1643)	Wing W879; ESTC R38489	56,563	74

in the Church liberty liberty hath cryed downe peace there This is the very engine whereby he doth usually convey sedition and faction into the body of the State liberty liberty it that popular voyce together with a pretence of Religion whereby the peace of the State hath beene so often demolished and cast downe for my part I wish there may be a perpetuall contract betweene peace and liberty but if one must goe we had farre better part with liberty then peace And therefore by the way we may note that they are no better Polititians then they are Christians that goe about to preserve or recover liberty by Sedition their first care should be to preserve the integrity of the body and then that it may be fat and well-liking And now it is very easie for me to bring it home unto you since it is as clear as the light That however the commands of His Majestie have been either with or against the Law of the Kingdome as concerning matter of priviledge liberty the disobedience and much more the active resistance of you and your party is most clearely to the great disturbance of the State yea even almost to the destruction thereof whither it is still drawing nearer and nearer by that meanes and how foone it may come to that unhappy period we know not And it is as cleare that it hath beene very scandalous to the Church and our profession and given as much or more occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme and exposed the Protestant Religion yea the whole profession of Christianity more to ignominy and reproach and to an odium with interesse than any action that hath beene publikely carried by the professours of the Protestant Religion since the Reformation hath ever done And therefore you must either professe your selves to be much more wise then our Saviour which I hope you dare not averre or to be much more wicked then becometh those that professe to be his Disciples which I doubt you will not admit But I pray you what commands doe you finde enjoyned you by His Majestie contrary to the Law of the Kingdome as concerning the commanding part thereof or when against the priviledge or liberty that he denyeth to them If you should aske me the like question on the other side I beleeve I could furnish you with store of instances Since I take it it may be easily proved that the whole businesse and the maine body of that designe which is now in hand against His Majestie is a bastard issue and can derive no pedigree from the Law either of God or man to make it legitimate As for His Majestie He desires nothing but that Authority to be acknowledged in Him which the Law hath placed in Him He desires to make the knowne Law of the Kingdome the onely rule of His rule and Government But it is by no meanes so on the other side if they can finde any colours from the Lawes that may put any plausible appearance of legality upon their businesse well and good but if not let the Law cry never so loud A monstrous headlesse vote of the dismembred Houses of Parliament or for a need of the House of Commons alone without or against the King and the House of Lords shall be countenance though to set forward the prosecution of their most illegall purposes And to make good their Protestation for the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion the Honour and Estate of His Majestie the Priviledges of Parliament the Lawes of the Kingdome and the Liberty of the Subject The Protestant Religion must be scorned and reproached by Brownists Anabaptists and Atheists The Honour and State of His Majestie must be exposed to the contempt of the vilest of the people The Priviledges of Parliament must be perpetually trampled on at the pleasure of some few that are predominant in the Houses by casting out the Members by meere arbitrary Votes for nothing but because they make use of that priviledge which the Law allowes and the Houses themselves begged and obtained of His Majestie at their first entrance upon their consultation for a freedome of speech nay sometime a whole side as it were of the House of Lords first forced out by terrour and tumult and then voted out upon meere pleasure And the power and authority of the House of Commons to a most palpable abusing and betraying of the trust reposed in them by His Majestie and the people of the Land reduced to a close Committee of about 15 or 16 persons some strange designe sure that they have in hand that they must get into such corners and have such cloudes over them to cover it And they say the businesse is made a night-worke too it seemes they dare not trust the Sunne with it a fit time to consult about a worke of darkenesse But they must remember either now or hereafter that there is a light over them that they see not that discovers all their secrets There is one still amongst them that they cannot vote out neither to whom light and darkenesse are both alike and the night is as cleare as the day There is an invisible notary too that takes our records of all their determinations and plots and truely they had best finde him out and prevaile with him if they can to take an oath of secrecy which they can never doe before they proceed any farther in the businesse for as sure as they live hee 'le reveale all else and a thousand to one will undoe all their plots by some counter-plot or other and will be as bad as an Elisha to the King of Syria to defeat and disappoint their most secret designes They may guesse at some thing if they will by what hath already fallen out they have had divers experiments how unprosperously their counsels thrive And therefore methinks Master Pym might well propose that question that the King of Syria did unto his servants upon the severall defeats that hee observed to have befallen him in his enterprises against Israel Will yee not shew me which of us is for the King But to save him a labour let him but the next time they meet reade the 12 first verses of the 139 Psalme and a hundred to one that will be as good as any charme they can use to discover him who it is that doth thus secretly intrude into their counsels and that doth thus defeat and make voyde all their most subtile contrivances so that hitherto for the most part they have brought forth nothing but winde though I confesse it hath beene a whirle-winde that hath disturbed and shaken the frame both of Church and State Even the very same that defeated the Counsell of Achitophel against David little doe they thinke how he sits and laughs at their most wise plots and contrivances of wickednesse Let them but looke into the second Psalme and they may see him at it methinkes if they could but put on the spectacle of the Psalmist They

it to be a freedome belonging unto him What thinkest thou Simon saith our Saviour unto Peter of whom doe the Kings of the earth take custome or tribute of their owne children or of strangers Peter saith unto him of strangers Jesus said unto him then are the children free Where our blessed Saviour proves that Caesar could not justly require tribute of him as is cleare unto any man of judgement Well what doth our Saviour doe then doth he stand upon his termes doth he send Peter unto them with an harsh denyall or command him to draw his sword and set them packing No he condescends with a non obstante to his owne freedome notwithstanding saith that blessed Master of obedience to the silencing of all rebellious mouthes least wee should offend them What Why he will have it paid both for himselfe and Peter and yet we doe not finde that so much was required but onely of our Saviour himselfe as if our Saviour would even almost supererrogate in obedience nay hee will worke wonders but he will doe it And he that would not doe a miracle to feed himselfe when he was hungry by turning a stone into bread yet he will doe a miracle to give us an example of obedience and to pay tribute to Caesar though requiring it against right by making a fish become his treasurer to supply his wants for so good a purpose The riches of the Sea shall be ransackt for it rather than he will give the least countenance to disobedience and his watry Subjects shall pay tribute unto him that was King of Kings and Lord of Lords That he being now in the forme of a servant might pay it to his vassall an earthly Prince Notwithstanding least we should offend them saith he to Peter Goe thou to the Sea and cast in thy hooke and take up the fish that first commeth up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a piece of money that take and give unto them for thee and me Marke I beseech you though he might have pleaded his liberty and so as you speak might seeme to wrong himselfe in condescending yet saith he lest we should offend them Vnicuique licet renunciare privilegio suo and therefore hee will rather dispence with his owne priviledge then give offence by causing a disturbance in the Kingdome or by making the least shew or appearance of disobedience to Governours thereby to bring a scandall upon the doctrine that he taught or upon the Christian religion that he came to plant in the world from whence for your conversion if it may be if not for your confusion I doubt it will be I collect this Observation against yours That wee may and ought to obey the Magistrate though commanding against the Law and so wrongfully to our owne private injury where the disobedience is like to be offensive in causing a disturbance in the State or scandall in the Church Will you have the point clearely discussed take it then thus The question is and indeed it is a maine one how the Subject is to carry himselfe toward His Majestie in case he command contrary to the Law I hope I shall give you a right determination of this doubt in these severall propositions First I grant it clearely that the King in duty ought not to command any thing contrary to the Law for the Law is unto the King as the Rule unto the Builder the Compasse unto the Pilot the Map or Card unto the Travailer whereby he ought to gage and square out all his motions and actions of regality and government and wheresoever his operations are disproportioned unto this rule they are irregular 2. The command of the King or supreame Magistrate may be said to be against the Law two severall wayes either so as that it enjoynes me to doe something which the Law forbids me or forbids me to doe that which the Law enjoynes me Which is against my duty that I owe unto the Law or else in that it commands me to doe or leave undone something which the law gives me freedome not to doe or not to leave undone which is against the priviledge that the law allowes me in the first case I ought not to obey him actively for the law of the Kingdome is the declared and deliberate will of the supreme Magistrate and therefore so to obey him were to disobey him since thereby as one hath well sayd I should disobey his deliberate will to obey his suddaine will which is unreasonable Yet in this case I must obey him passively by submitting unto the punishment that hee shall inflict upon me at least so farre as to forbeare all forcible resistance In the second case I may and ought sometimes to obey him since therein though he indeed may seeme to breake the law in commanding yet I doe not breake it in obeying sith the law though it allow me yet it doth not tie me to my priviledge and therefore forgoing it I doe not contradict my duty to the law but onely forgoe the liberty that the law gives me which I may and must forgoe sometimes at least that I may obey the command of the supreme Magistrate in case it may make for the obtaining or preserving of some greater good or for the prevention of greater evill then the preservation of my liberty can recompence As where the forgoing my freedome or priviledge in my estate may preserve some greater good unto my selfe or may make for the peace of the Common-wealth or for the preservation of some great and notable disturbance in the State or where it may further the peace of the Church or prevent scandall from our profession or impediment from the preaching of the Gospell or the like I prove it thus First à fortiori If I ought for these causes to depart from the liberty which the law of God allowes me much more then ought I in such cases to depart from the liberty which I am invested in by the law of man if from my christian liberty much more from my civill liberty But the former is cleere much more then the latter for there is no man that can reasonably deny but for peace sake and to avoid scandall I ought to dispense with my christian liberty for this wee have both precept and example precept 1. Cor. 8.8 9. Galat. 5.13 Rom. 14. from vers 12. to the end Examples wee have too and those pregnant ones as that of Paul dispensing with that liberty which he had in Christ from the ceremonies of the law for peace sake and to further the Gospell and for prevention of scandall and this wee have both in his practice and profession in his practice Act. 16.3 where wee find him circumcising Timothy for peace sake with the Jewes and that the Gospell might not be hindered and upon the same ground wee find him purifying himselfe Act. 21.26 and that by the advice of Saint Iames and the Elders his profession you may see also to

if they hinder the killing quelling of those who would both kill and quell you yours your Religion Kingdome They become friends of Gods enemies and ours and resolve to make peace with them with whom God hath resolved to have warre How doe you prove that why Exod. 17. ult what saith that place why these are the words which you leave us to finde out there for he sayd because the Lord hath sworne to have warre with Amalek from generation to generation Go to now where does your great strength lie or how may a man doe to bind this Sampson of yours This invincible perswasive or reply or what you will call it wherewith you doe so unmercifully seize upon the judgments of the poore blear-eyed people Wee 'le examine it a little Your drift is or should be to shew that the resolution of the people is not good that their money shall not help to kill in your designe for that must be your meaning now how do you drive them from this resolution why thus you shew them very learnedly that their money must help to kill c. how prove you that why because they may not hinder the killing quelling of them c. well it seemes then you are all for killing and quelling wee might have hoped of more favour you might have given the people leave to have thought you more mercifull but is this good Logique they may not hinder therefore their money must help is there no meane betweene helping and hindering consider it well and you 'l finde there is but that 's your weaknesse or perhaps your hast wee 'l pardon it and allow it that force it wants But how doe you prove they may not hinder the killing quelling of the Kings Party for that 's your meaning without all question why because they are those that would both kill and quell you yours your Religion your Kingdome wee need your help a little here wee understand you in part your Us there stands for your Party I conceive and your Ours for your Wives Children Friends Family and the like but we cannot tell yet what you meane by our Religion nor very well what you meane by our Kingdome your Commentary here a little I beseech you doe you meane by Your Religion the Brownists or the Anabaptists or the Familists or the Seperatists or the Libertines or the Papists for it is thought you have of all these sorts in your Party so that your party is very party-coloured or doe you meane that which wee doubt you have too little to doe with the true knowne Protestant Religion or what do you meane by Your Kingdome is this Kingdome any more yours then His Majesties or ours or what Kingdome is it that you meane I presume you will say that by Your Religion you meane the true Protestant Religion and by Your Kingdome this Kingdome of England that is so denominated a Kingdome from that good King that God hath set over it and if so then give me leave to aske you first how it appeares to you that the Kings party would kill you or yours or that they would quell you doe you but quell your rebellious spirits and I dare warrant you for either killing or quelling by His Majesty or His Party if He can help it any further then the Law armes Him against you nay you may assure your selves His Majesty hath that grace and clemency in Him that will moderate the severity of the Law too and it is not best for you to deny Him that power you have had good experience of His Majesties mercy if you would thinke on 't some have thought He hath beene cruell to Himselfe in being mercifull to you I but I hope all His mercy will returne at length into His owne bosome you had best take heed you slight it not too much lest if it be kept too long before you make use of it that good and pleasant Wine turne Vinegre You may doe well to remember that mercy loves not to stand too long at the doore clemency is not easily wearied but if it once grow throughly angry it may prove the greatest fury If you will needs put His Majesty to His choice which of the two He will have spilt He knowes there is difference of price and value betweene rebellious and loyall bloud And if there be no help for 't but that you will worke your ruine the price of the safety and preservation of His faithfull people you may thanke your selves for setting up such a Market I know not how to helpe you but in truth I shall be sorry for you But you may prevent it if you will it is but returning to your obedience and loyalty and I doubt not but shall find His Majesties sword that is now most unwillingly drawn against you for your correction ready most cheerfully to exercise it selfe in your protection and so you and yours may be safe if you please and the Subjects may keepe their money for better purposes then to imploy it to set forward the killing of men it was sure ordained for a meanes of preservation not for the instruments of ruine and destruction But your Religion your Religion That will be kill'd and quell'd if this cry were not in your mouthes I could scarce thinke you to be Rebels for is not this the usuall accoutrement of rebellion to march under the colours of Religion at least in pale or in quarter with some others as liberty perhaps or some such like because Religion will not of it selfe take with all palats but I pray you doe not beleeve that this vizour will alwayes be undiscovered this velvet maske hath beene so much used that the nap is all worne of almost and the bare face may be seene through it This pretence of Religion is growne so stale and hath beene so often made the lure of sedition that the very boyes can almost spy out the imposture and therefore your wiser way will be to get some new fashion for your strumpet unlesse you meane to have them throw stones and rotten apples at her alas this is an old trick to begin mischiefe in the name of God In nomine Domini incipit omne malum is too old and too true a saying but let them take heed that set it forward in such a stile for this is something worse then to take Gods name in vaine and then they are not like to be held guiltlesse And amongst others you had best be wary for whilst you make God and Religion the stile of this horrid businesse your whole progresse is a kind of a running blasphemy nay perhaps I could easily show you that in many of you is a running perjury in those that have taken the Oaths of Alleageance and Supremacy further answer I cannot give you so fully as perhaps I might if I did but know what stamp you are of onely this let me tell you first for the Protestant Religion as it hath been for these many yeares in this