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

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91192	A Gospel plea (interwoven with a rational and legal) for the lawfulnes & continuance of the ancient setled maintenance and tenthes of the ministers of the Gospel: proving, that there is a just, competent, comfortable maintenance due to all lawfull painfull preachers and ministers of the Gospel, by divine right, institution, and expresse texts and precepts of the Gospel: that glebes and tithes are such a maintenance, & due to ministers by divine right, law and Gospel: that if subtracted or detained, they may lawfully be inforced by coercive laws and penalties: that tithes are no reall burden nor grievance to the people; the abolishing them, no ease or benefit to farmers, husband-men, or poor people, but a prejudice and losse. That the present opposition against tithes, proceeds not from any reall grounds of conscience, but base covetousnesse, carnall policy, &c. and a Jesuiticall and Anabaptisticall designe, to subvert and ruin our ministers, Church, religion. With a satisfactory answer to all cavils and materiall objections to the contrary. By William Prynne of Swainswick, Esq;	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing P3971; Thomason E713_12; ESTC R203238; ESTC R26600	128,273	175

be hanged for Traytors and Antichristian Ministers in good earnest else l●t him be hanged in their steed for this his impudent slander of them all as well Independents as Prebyterians Have of late years come and been sent into this Realme of England and were any of our Ministers such and not rather Canne himself coming hither from Amsterdam for the purposes following and other the Queens Dominions OF PURPOSE AS IT HATH APPEARED as well by some of their own examinations now out of date as by divers other Manifest means and proofs more visible of late years than ever not onely to withdraw her Highnesse subjects from their due obedience to her Majestie but also to st●r up and move Sedition Rebellion and open Hostility within the same her Highnesse Realms and Dominions to the great indangering of the safety of her most Royall Person and to the utter ruine desolation and overthrow of the whole Realm now effected as a Realm if the same be not the sooner and now pray God it be not over late by some good means foreseen and prevented For reformation whereof be it ordained c. That All Priests and Jesuits Canne cannot spy such good friends within the Act but deletes them out of it Seminary Priests and other Priests whatsoever made and ordained out of the Realm of England c. under the penalties therein mentioned Had Canne pressed this Statute to those he dedicates his Pamphlet for the speedy execution of it against those many Jesuites and Seminary Priests now in England for their traiterous Practises and Designes therein mentioned of late and now driven on and almost compleated by them it had been a commendable zeale but to write one word or syllable against these Romish Vermine arch-Engineers Janizaries of the Romish See now swarming among us to rui●● our Kingdomes Parliaments Laws Liberties Church Ministers Ministry Religion forreign Protestant States Churches now engaged by them in bloudy wars both by Land and Sea and to omit th● very name of the Jesuits the first Popish Agents mentioned and chiefly intended in this Act and presse it onely against our Ministers Calling Ministry Tithes and Maintenance of purpose to ruine them and theirs and by consequence our Church and Religion the Designe and scope of his whole Pamphlet is such a malicious unchristian Antichristian Practise as proclaims him to all the world either a new converted Jesuite or Romish Factor under the Garb of an old Anabaptist or an over-grown cankered Anabaptist void of Piety Honesty and inspired by the very Father of Lyes For not one of our English Ministers I know or hear of except two or three Jesuits and Priests crept into Livings in Staffordshire and elsewhere very lately I know not by whose favour or negligence was ever ordained by any such Jurisdiction or authority as is here mentioned which all our Ministers and their Ordainers too whether Prelates or Presbyters particularly and publickly abjured both at the time of their respective Ordinations and admissions to their Benefices and likewise when they took any Degree of Learning in our Vniversities by the two known famous Oaths of SUPREMACY and ALLEGIANCE purposely made and ratified by * sundry zealous Protestant Parliaments against the usurped Papal Jurisdiction and authority of the See of Rome and the Popes Jesuits and Papists practises to blow up and destroy our Protestant Kings Parliaments Laws Liberties Religion and subvert our Kingly Government whole State and Common-wealth for the better discovering of them yet lately suspended abrogated as dangerous unlawfull Oaths by some of Cannes good friends who would be reputed Zealots against the Popes Jurisdiction and his Creatures too Now how those Ministers of our Church who thus abjured the Jurisdiction of Rome at the time of their very Ordination and their Ordainers too before them and since have don● the like in their Solemne League and Covenant can without the highest slander be said to derive their Ministry from it and that by Canne his Jesuiticall Anabaptistical Fraternity who never took one of these Oaths or the Covenant and revile repeal them as unlawful out of love to the Popes Jurisdiction Jesuits Priests c. or for want of zeal against them Let the world and this slanderers own Conscience if he have any left determine Besides who knows not but this Ignoramus that the Rites and Ceremonies of Ordination in the Church of Rome recorded at large in Ceremoniale Pontificiale Pontificum Romanorum and the ends of Ordination likewise viz. to say Masse create their Creator offer up Christ in Sacrifice at the altar to his Father Invocate Saints adore Images yield Canonicall obedience to the Pope and his Supremacy c. are far different from the form and ends of our Ministers Ordination in the Church of England prescribed by the Parl. 5. 6. Ed. 6. c. 1. ratified by the Statutes of 1 Eliz. 2. c. 1 2. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 8 Eliz. c. 1. and 39 Eliz c. 8. made onely by Protestant Parliaments as they particularly condemne renounce the Popes power and Jurisdiction so they declare and resolve our Ministers Ordination to be lawfull and them in very deed to be Ministers and rightly made ordained and ●onsecrated according to Gods word without any derivative power or Ordination from the Church of Rome And therefore for this New pander for the Whore of Rome to averre they receive their ministry and ordination thence is a NOTORIOVS LYE yea but saith he Francis Mason of Consecration and Mr. Yates in his Modell of Divinity prove and confesse That the Ministry of the Church of England established by the Law of the Land IS DERIVED FROM THE POPE and ROME True but in what sense onely by way of Succession as his own Ministry and Faith if he hath any were derived from John of Leyden or just as our Bibles Religion Baptisme Churches were derived thence and all now living with Canne himself derived from Popish Ancestors many even from Popes Popish Priests Prelates Friars by naturall generation God used the Popes of Rome and their Instruments to convert the Britains and Saxons from thei Paganisme to the Christian not Papal or Roman Faith which through Gods mercy hath continued amongst us ever since yet mixed of later times with manifold Popish Errors and Superstitions These Errors and Superstitions our godly Martyrs and by them our Kings and Parliaments discovering did thereupon by speciall Acts of Parliament abolish as derived from the Church of Rome together with the Popes usurped power and Gain which they served onely to support retaining onely the Scriptures Sacraments Soul-saving Doctrines thence derived by succession onely but authoritatively and originally from God and Christ himself with such Godly Orthodox Bishops and Ministers who though first ordained in the Church of England when Popish did yet renounce all the Popish Errors Corruptions with the Popes Supremacy and all Popish additionall Rites to the form of their Ordination and

First paid by Souldiers out of the very spoyles of Battle taken in the very first Warre we read of to the very first Priest of God we find recorded in the Scripture and therefore admired that Officers and Souldiers in this age should so degenerate as to be the very ringleaders and chief oppugners of them drawing up some brief Notes of this subject out of Scripture to help passe the time in defence of Tithes relating more particularly to Souldiers to silence satisfie and reclaime them from this Sacrilegious designe which having since enlarged with Arguments and Answers to their Objections drawn from their own Military pro●essions for the better satisfaction and conviction of all Sword-men and others I hope neither Officers nor Souldiers nor any others truly fearing God if they confider Lecit 19. 17. Mat. 18. 15 16 17. Prov. 19. 25. 10. 17. 12. 1. 13. 18. 15. 10 31 32. 17. 10. 25. 12. Psal 141. 5. 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. 1 Tim. 5. 20. Luke 3. 14. will or can be justly Offended with me no more for writing truth then speaking it to their faces as I did upon all occasions whiles among them not to defame but to informe and reforme them for their own and the publick good in what I conceive not warrantable by but repugnant to Gods word and their duties as Souldiers or Christians and to those known fundamentall Lawes Liberties of the Nation they were purposely raysed commissioned waged and engaged by Protestations Covenants and their own voluntary printed Declarations to protect and not subvert and that they will not repute it a capitall crime in me not to prove a flatterer or dissembler or not to act or write wittingly against my Science and Conscience when our Ministers Maintenance Calling Religion Gods glory Lawes Liberties all we have or hope for are in danger of such a sad sodain and destructive Convulsion and concussion if not Subversion as I long since by Authority of Parliament discovered in Romes Master-piece well worth perusall now when so many known Jesuits under a new Provinciall which Hugh Peters himself reported as I have been credibly informed are now even in London it selfe acting as busily and sitting there in Councell as duely as when the reclaimed Author of that discovery purposely sent from Rome for the purposes therein discovered was resident amongst them O that these professed Enemies of our Church Religion Nation and those Janizaries of Rome may not sow their Tares of error and seeds of ruine and desolation amongst us whiles almost our who●e Nation for ought I can discerne if not those who call themselves Watch-men are in a dead sleep or Lethargy and heaving at our most faithfull Ministers maintenance and Callings too in stead of enquiring after discovering these Arch-traytors and executing the good Lawes and Oathes against them to prevent those treafonable practises destructive designes miseries and that ruine to our Religion Government Governors Lawes Parliaments Church and Common-wealth which the wise Protestant vigilant Parliaments of 13 Eliz. c. 1. 23 Eliz. c. 1. 27 Eliz. c. 2. ●5 Eliz. c. 2. 1 Jac. c. 4. 3 Jac. 1 2 4 5. 7 Jac. c. 6. and some hundreds of Declarations and p●in ed Ordinances R●monst ances of the Lords and Commons the last Parliament with the good new Lawes and Oath they provided against those Romish Vipers quite buried in Oblivion have publ●shed to allarme all drowsie stupid carelesse people all lovers of God their Religion or Country against them even at this very season when they and their confederates are wittingly or ignorantly over-turning overturning overturning whatever is not yet totally subverted am●ng us and carrying on these their designes If these my impotent undertakings with a sincere affection only to Gods glory and the reall weal and preservation of our Religion Ministry Lawes Native Country and all Protestant Churches now indangered by their mutuall discords and Jesuite Emissaries to foment their intestine differences may so farre open the eyes of all Degrees in our Nation really fearing God so to know in this their day the things which belong unto their peace and settlement and to move them effectually to pursue them before they be hid from their eyes I have all the reward I do expect and shall blesse God for the good successe If any shall be offended with me or it and requite me only with envy hatred persecution and new Oppression Bonds close Imprisonments for well-doing and endevouring any more publick good for our Church Religion Country I shall commit my cause to God who judgeth righteously who hath so often brought forth my righteousnesse as the Light and my judgement as the Noon-day to the shame and confusion of my causelesse enemies and shall carry this comfortable cordiall unto my brest to any Prison Pillory Gibbet Grave that the malice or power of poor vapouring Mortals who know not how soon their violent dealing may or will come down upon their own pates as well as on other potent adversaries shall be able to hurry me to and ascend triumphantly which is to heaven it selfe that I have discharged that duty which God Conscience Providence and the publick danger of our Ministry and Religion and my sacred Oathes and Covenants have engaged me unto And if I perish for it I perish and in perishing shall by Gods assistanced part with this Swan-like Saint-like Song of that eminent Prisoner of Jesus Christ who was in Prisons more frequent in P●rils Afflictions and Persecutions often as I have been for the faithfull discharging of his duty I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteoufnesse which God the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but to all them also which suffer for his truth and love his appearing which is the unshaken constant faith hope and expectation of thine and our Churches Countries unmercenary faithfull Friend and Servant William Prynne A GOSPELL PLEA FOR THE Lawsulnesse and Continuance of the Antient setled Maintenance and Tithes of the Ministers of the GOSPELL THE antient necessary competent maintenance of our Ministers of the Gospell setled on them by the Piety and Bounty of our religious Christian Kings and Ancestors almost from the very first preaching and embracing of the G●spell in this Iland and constantly enjoyed ever since without any publick opposition being in these times of a long expected glorious resormation and reall propagation of the Gospell more audeciously oppugned more impiously decryed declaimed petitioned publickly against and more sacrilegiously invaded detained substracted then in the very worst or profanest of former ages and that not only by professed enemies of the Ministers and Ministery of the Gospell but by such who pretend themselves their friends and the most precious Saints who not yet satisfyed with the late sales of all

at all or judgement in their Art learning their Military skill not at their owne but the peoples great costs 3. Learned Ministers both before and after their admission into the Ministry are at great charges to furnish themselves with Bookes and Libraries necessary for their Calling whereas our Officers and Souldiers are and were furnished with all sorts of Armes and Ammunition fitting for their calling out of the publick Treasury only which continually recruites them when lost in Service 4. The calling of the Ministry requires men of far more able parts and eminency of gifts whereby they might gain far more worldly wealth riches and honours in many other callings then they do or can do by the Ministry by which they are commonly losers in respect of worldly gains ●and preferments a thing very considerable then the calling of an ordinary Souldier or most warlike Officers doe as experience manifests and I thinke most Soldiers and Officers will acknowledge and thereupon must admit them proportionable allowance to their parts and work in the Ministry it selfe 5. Ministers when once entred into their callings are alwayes day and night upon constant duty without intermission their whole lives being so taken up with study preaching catechizing praying fasting exhorting admonishing reproving comforting visiting the sick in body troubled in minde resolving doubts of conscience and other Ministeriall duties as well private as publick that they have most of them scarce one spare day or hour all the year to imploy in other affaires for their owne advantage in worldly things Whereas many of our Army Officers and Souldiers lie idle in their Quarters many months if not years of late together without any actuall service and yet receive their full constant pay and those in actuall service and Garisons do that they call duty only by turnes once or twice a week and then but for two or three houres in a day being then successively relieved by others having sufficient time every day and week not only to follow their private Trades if they please necessary usefull beneficiall to others but also to exercise Merchandise and other gainfull worldly imployments and Offices to which they were never trained up whereby most of them are grown richer then most of our Ministers in halfe the space they were fitting for their Ministry before they received one penny profit by it As for our Officers they seldome do any duty have all their men-servants listed under them and paid by the people to do them service only being exempt from duty and how seldome they have been of late times at their Quarters upon their duty as Souldiers but otherwise sitting in Counsell to advance their own power estates and pull down all above them to intrude themselves into their places we all see by experience contrary to the Apostles precept 2 Tim. 2. 4. No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life that he may please not supplant him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier and to John the Baptists injunction to Souldiers Luke 3. 14. Do violence to no man nei●her accuse any falsely and be content with your wages Which ungospell practises I wish they would first reforme by conforming themselves unto this Precept before they reforme our Ministers or their setled wages a thing beyond if not against their calling 6. The calling of Ministers as it is every way farre more laborious as perillous and full of hardship as that of Souldiers 2 Cor. 11. 23 to 33. 4. 8 9 10 11. 2 Tim. 2. 3 9 10 12. 3. 10 11 12. 4. 5 6 7. So questionlesse it is far more honourable necessary usefull beneficiall to others then that of Souldiers and Commanders for they are the very Embassadors of God himselfe and Jesus Christ the King and Lord of glory the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Prince of the Kings of the earth and only Potentate to whom all other Powers and kne●● must bow beseeching men in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. The Ministers servants messengers of Jesus Christ workers together with him Stewards of the mysteries of God and the glory of Christ 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. 2 Cor. 6. 1. 8. 23. 2 Tim. 2. 24. imployed to preach to sinfull men the unsearchable riches of Christ to turne them from darknesse unto light and from the power of Satan unto God Eph. 3. 8. Act. 26. 18. to rescue their souls from the slavery and power of sin Satan hell death everlasting damnation and make them the sonnes of God heirs and coheirs with Christ of everlasting glory and felicity in Gods heavenly Kingdome through the power of Gods Grace and Spirit working in with by and through their Ministry on their hearts Now the calling of a Souldier though it be honourable and in some cases lawfull and necessary if rightly managed yet it is for the most part sinfull hurtfull pernicious dangerous and unbeseeming the Gospell in respect of the cause managing abuses thereof it being accompanied with murther violence rapine treachery perjury sacriledge cruelty inhumanity profanenesse blasphemy contempt of God of all sacred civill Lawes and Ordinances ambition treason and the worst of sins tending usually like an overflowing Deluge to the subversion desolation ruine of whole Families Cities Countries Kingdomes Churches yea Mankinde it selfe Religion Lawes Liberties Properties turning whole f●amous Cities into ashes and Kingdomes into Golgatha s Acheldamaes fields of bloud and dead mens sculs very wildernesses as the Scripture Histories and experience manifest Hence God styles great Warriers and Armies The rod of his anger a Battle Ax with which he breaketh in pieces the Nations destroyeth Kingdomes and treadeth them down like the mire in the streets and then at last destroyes them in his wrath when they have executed his judgements for their rapines violence and bloudy cruelty Isa 10. 5 c. Jer. 51. 20 c. They being really carried on from one war to another out of vainglory ambition covetousnesse a mad humour of false greatnesse et nullus supra caeteros eminendi modus in sua fata pariter ac publica to their own and the publick ruine yet still under a pretext of publick good and safety as Seneca excellently writes in his 94 Epistle a piece worth the reading of Alexander the great Caesar Pompey Marius qui cum omnia concuterent concutieb antur et cum mult is fuerunt mali pestiferam illam vim qua plerosque nocuerunt ipsi quoque sentiunt And indeed the Profession of a Souldier even in the best of men and warres is so full of danger and pollution that it leaves some scars of sin and tincture of pollution on them Whence we read that though David were a man after Gods own heart and fought the battels of the Lord against his professed enemies by his speciall command with constant successe yet God would by no means permit him to build an house and Temple

TABLETS to make an aton●ment for their soules before the Lord amounting to sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekel● every shekel weighing halfe an ounce Which Eleazet the Priest took of the Captaines of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tabe●●acle of the Congregation FOR A MEMORIALL of the children of Israel before the Lord Numb 31. 48 to the end Here were self-denying saint-like Officers Colonels and Captaines indeed after all the former deductions and tributes out of their spoyle to bring to the Priest and offer up to God all their Jewels of Gold Chaines Bracelets Rings Ear-rings Tablets and richest plunder they had gotten in the Warres for the maintenance of his worship when our Officers Colonels Captaines Souldiers shall do the like and pay a tribute of the best of their spoyles to our Ministers as these by Gods command did to the Priests and Levites not purchasing Church-Lands and Revenues with them devoted to the augmentation of our Ministers small Stipends we will cry them up for self-denying Saints and Souldiers indeed and say they are no self-seekers If this Scripture Precedent be not enough behold a whole cloud of Precedents imitating them and faithfull Abraham recorded and united in one memorable text seldome read or taken notice of 1 Chron. 26. 26 27 28. Which Shelomith and his Brethren were OVER ALL THE TREASURES OF THE DEDICATED THINGS which DAVID THE KING and the chief Fathers THE CAPTAINES OVER THOUSANDS and HUNDREDS and THE CAPTAINES OF THE HOST HAD DEDICATED OUT OF THE SPOYLES WON IN BATTLES DID THEY DEDICATE TO MAINTAINE THE HOUSE OF THE LORD marke and imitate it O ye Army Officers Captaines Souldiers And all that SAMVEL the seer and SAVL the Sonne of Kish and ABNER the Sonne of Ner and Joab the Sonne of Zeruiah had dedicated was under the hand of Shelomith and his Brethren Here we have examples of all sorts and sizes for our Army Officers and Souldiers imitation We have David a victorious Warrier Generall King and man of God after Gods owne heart dedicating the Treasures and Spoyles he took from his enemies in Battles to the House and service of God thus more specially recorded for his honour and others practise 2 Sam. 8. 11 12. And Tol sent Joram his Sonne to King David to salute him and to blese him because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him and brought with him vessels of Gold and vessels of Silver and vessels of Brasse which also King David DID DEDICATE TO THE LORD WITH THE SILVER AND GOLD THAT HE HAD DEDICATE OF ALL NATIONS WHICH HE SUBDUED Of Syria and of Moab and of the children of Ammon and of the Philistines and of Amalek and OF THE SPOYLES OF HADADEZER Sonne of Rehob King of Zobah Recorded againe in 1 Chron. 18. 2 to 12. with this addition And David took the shields of gold which were on the Servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusal m. Likewise from Tibhath and from Chun Cities of Hadadezer brought David very much brasse wherewith Solomon made the Brasen-sea and the pillars of the vessels of Brasse What the value of the spoyles which he dedicated to God and his service amounted to himselfe records 1 Chron. 22. 14. Now behold in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord AN HUNDRED THOUSAND TALENTS OF GOLD and A THOUSAND THOUSAND TALENTS OF SILVER and OF BRASSE and IRON IN ABOUNDANCE WITHOUT WEIGHT Besides what he dedicated out of his owne proper estate registred in 1 Chron. 29. 3 4. 2. We have Joab Davids Captaine Generall the Captaines over Thousands and Hundreds and the Captaines of the Army dedicating out of the spoyles won in Ba●tles to the service of the House of the Lord ●nd that in a liber●ll proportion even five thousand Talents of gold and tenne thousand drams and of silver tenne thousand Talents and of brasse 18000. Talents and one hundred thousand Talents of Iron besides precious stones all which they offered willingly with a perfect heart unto the Lord rejoycing with great joy they had done it 1 Chron. 29. 6 7 8 9. When our Generals Officers Colonels Captaines and Souldiers of the Army shall imitate King David and his Generals Colonels Captains Officers and Souldiers in such a liberall contribution of the Jewels Gold Silver Brasse Iron and Spoyle they have won in Battles at home and from other Nations to repaire or build houses for Gods publick worship and maintaine the Ministers of the Gospell in stead of seeking to demolish and spoyle those stately Edifices which our pious Ancestors have erected for that purpose and breaking downe the Carved worke thereof with axes and hammers of which David much complaineth Psal 74. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. and in lieu of endevouring to devest our Ministers of their remaining Lands Tithes Glebes not yet demolished all the World will proclaime them Men after Gods owne heart and Men of God in truth like David and give over censuring them for Sacrilegious Harpyes more like to Zeba and Zalmunna then him who said Let us take to our selves the Houses of God in possession as David himselfe objects against them Psal 83. 11 12. 3. Here is Samuel the seer doing the like out of his spoyles won in Battle A precedent for all those Souldiers who will be Sunnes and New-lights to imitate 4. If the good mens examples be neglected yet let the Precedents of bad men shame and excite others to this duty Here are Saul the Sonne of Kish much talked of and reviled now by many for a Tyrant the Warrelike King given to Gods people in anger and taken from them in wrath as these object now Hos 13. 11. which I conceive rather meant of Jeroboam the Idolatrous usurper who made Israel to sinne as judicious Interpreters prove by 2 Chron. 13. 20. compared with 2 Kings 17. 10 to 24. and the context likewise which made mention of their Idolatry in kissing the Calves erected by Jeroboam and speaks only of the Kingdome of Israel as divided from that of Judah yet he as bad as they make him together with Abner his chief Captaine none of the best of men as 2 Sam. 3. 7 8. discovers had so much Piety Zeal and Religion in them as likewise to dedicate part of their richest spoyles of Warre to the maintenance of Gods house and worship And will it not be a great dishonour to those Generals Officers Colonels and Captaines who pretend themselves the holiest justest zealousest Saints not to be as bountifull towards the maintenance of Gods house and worship and of their spoyles as these they brand for Tyrants and ungodly wicked men If these Precedents be ineffectuall to work upon any Covetous or Sacrilegious bondmen let them reflect upon others who were Idolaters how neare they came in their way to imitate Abraham David and these forecited When Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon had taken Jerusalem ransacked and burnt the glorious Temple there towards