Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	law_n	liberty_n	parliament_n	4,902	5	6.1958	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91218	Minors no senators. Or A briefe discourse, proving, that infants under the age of 21. yeares, are uncapable, in point of law, of being members of Parliament, and that the elections of any such are meere nullities; yea, injurious, prejuditiall, dishonourable to the whole Parliament and Kingdome, in sundry respects. / Written by a common-lawyer (a true lover of his country, and honourer of the Parliament) to a friend and client of his, for his private satisfaction, and published for the common-good.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1646 (1646)	Wing P4008; Thomason E506_33; ESTC R205590	20,692	18

to it for feare of after-claps Fifthly By the ancient Law and custome of Parliament as our i Law 〈◊〉 resolve and the statute of 5. R. 2. cap. 4. enacts Every Member of Parliament who absents himselfe or departs from it without just ex●●●e and License shall be amerced and otherwise punished by imprisonment and the like as oft time hath bin used But k our Law-Books all resolve that an Infant cannot be fined amerced or imprisoned for any Laches default absence or negligence because he is not of full discretion Therefore he cannot be a Member of Parliament by the expresse resolution of these Authorities and this statute even for this very mischiefe because he cannot bee amerced imprisoned or punished as other Members are and ought to be in case of absence or undue departure from the Parliament Sixthly Admit the forementioned mischiefes should all prove but contingent and future yet this one present mischiefe happens by Infants Elections that they keep out abler Members and deprive the Parliament Kingdome of the assistance Councell abilities of more discreete wise active experienced Venerable persons then themselves who by reason of their Infancy and want of experience are no ways serviceable active in the House or in Committees where they commonly sit as Ciphers to keep out Figures and men of greater parts and eminency I have ought times admired at the sotishnesse of people in resigning up their Lives Liberties Estates Laws Religion all into the hand● of such Novices and unconfiding Members whom they Elect to represent and Vote for them in Parliament as themselves would disdain to advise with or make use of in any other imployment No man is so foolish as to make choice of a young raw unexperienced unskilfull Practitioner to be his Pilot Physitian Lawyer Advocate Commander especially if the Voyage Disease Case Service bee dangerous or difficult but will resort to the skilfulest Pilots Physitians Lawyers Advocates Souldiers in such cases And should they not much more do thus in their choyce of Members of Parliament especially in these dangerous and tempestuous times when the ship of our Church State are extreamely indangered by stormes and rockes the whole body of our three Kingdomes Churches desperately diseased wounded lacerated their case very dubious if not desperate and their service so hot so difficult that it requires the Conduct of the most experienced Commanders to bring them off with safety Certainly if they doe it not the Election of some few unable Members and preterition of others of greater abilities in this juncture of time of affaires of highest concernment may ruin us and our Posterities for ever The consideration therefore of these recited mischiefes should and will no doubt enduce the Parliament to remove all such Infants and illegall Members as well as Malignants and Monopolists out of the Commons house or Prelates and Popish Peeres out of the house of Lords Seventhy It is mischievous even in this regard that it is an extraordinary dishonour to our whole Parliament and Nation to suffer Infants to sit as Judges Councellors in the supreamest Judicature and Councell of our three Kingdoms which gives Lawes to England Ireland all the Kings Dominions except Scotland on which it hath a great influence to by reason of the mutuall brotherly League betweene both Nations especially in such a time of Reformation Consultation Circumspection and action as this is What think you will foraign Nations report of our Parliament our Nation if they shall heare of Infants Wards Minors sitting yea Voting as Members as Judges among our Knights Citizens Burgesses now the greatest matters ever debated in any Parliament are in agitation will they not say our Kingdome is either voyd of wise experienced Senators that we Elect such Novices or that all our wise ancient men or our electors are turned Children Naturalls in making such a choyce and our Parliament very neglectfull of their owne honour in petmitting such Associats to sit among them in case the Kingdome can afford them others of more Antiquity Ability and experience To prevent therefore this dishonour abroad and the scoffs of Royalists and Malignants at home who jeare us with these Childish Infant Members as well as with our Independent Women-preachers I make no doubt but the House of Commons will unanimously resolve their Elections void in Law and their Electors worthy publike censure for putting such a dishonour both on our Parliament and Nation and enjoyne them hereafter to make better choyces under paine of forfeiting their right of Election 4ly For presidents in forraigne States I could produce many I shall instance only in some few of chiefest note which will beare most sway and in one domestike printed Authority First I shall begin with Scripture Presidents the best of any We read that when God would have Moses to make choice of a Parliament or Senate to assist him in the Government he gave him this direction concerning the quality of the persons to be elected to that publike Senate Num. 11. 16 And the Lord said unto Moses gather unto me seventy men of THE ELDERS of Israell whom thou knowest to be THE ELDERS of the people and Officers over them c. and they shall beare the burthen of the people with thee that thou beare it not alone which he accordingly performed v. 24. 25. whence they are stiled the SEVENTIE ELDERS of the people both in respect of their age and dignity Hence the great Councell Senate Sanhadrim of the Jews resembling our Parliament is stiled The Assembly of the ELDERS Ps. 107. 52. The ELDERS of Israel l both in the Old and New Testament and oft times the ANCIENTS of the people as Isay 3. 4. Jer. 19. 1. in respect of their age and gravity none being admitted into their Senate Parliament or Councell of State but ancient men Hence we finde Isay 3. 2. 3. 4. 12. 14. The prudent the Ancient man and the COVNCELLOR coupled together and that in opposition to Children and Babes whose ruling over the people is threatned by God as the s●arest Judgment of any Hence is that expression of the Prophet Eze. 7. 26. COVNCELL shall perish from t●e ANCIENT because none but such were Councellors in the Jewish State with that of David Psal. 119. 100. I understand more then the ANCIENTS and that of Iob. ●c 12. 12. With the ANCIENT is Wisdome and in length of dayes understanding Hereupon Solomons and Rehoboams Councellors of State with whom he first advised what answer to returne unto the people when they came to make him King are expresly termed m OLD MEN who gave him very savory Councell had he followed it which he forsaking and following the Councell of his young Courtiers lost both his peoples affections and his Kingdome too over ten of the Tribes who set up another King If then you will follow Scripture presidents no Infants under age or Children but Elders Ancients of the people for yeares wisdome and experience ought