Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	common_a	lord_n	prayer_n	2,904	5	6.1819	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80408	Redintegratio amoris, or A union of hearts, between the Kings most excellent Majesty, the Right Honorable the Lords and Commons in Parliament, His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the Army under his command; the Assembly, and every honest man that desires a sound and durable peace, accompanied with speedy justice and piety. By way of respective apologies, so far as Scripture and reason may be judges. / By John Cook of Grayes-Inne, Barrester.	Cook, John, d. 1660.	1647 (1647)	Wing C6026; Thomason E404_29; ESTC R201862	78,816	92

s●●e rather then out reformation might be the cause thereof for doe not their adversaries brag before the victory if many cruell men might have their wils what could the Army expect when disbanded Therefore if they should hereafter suffer they would undoubtedly make themselves a Ludibri●●● and derision to all the world what 20000 armed men victorious and veteran Commanders and Souldiers not flesh but bone that feare nothing but to offend God neither the sons of Anak not the sons of Cain that speake big like Gyants and persecute their brethren ●an Army that hath the justice of heaven on their sides the prayers of Gods people the good will of the whole Kingdom that have been the Joshuahs that have led Gods people into the spirituall Canaan that are plainly told that if they were disbanded they must not have a mouthfull of ayre in this Kingdome but in a prison unlesse they will put out their own eyes to see by the spectacles of other men in point of Gods service and worship that are called troublers of the State Heretikes and Sectaries that had been better the liberties of the Kingdom had been lost then saved by them and all this to their faces with their swords in their hands For such an Army as this I say to thinke upon disbanding as the ●ase stands I must make bold to tell them that if they should Jesus Christ would take it unkindly from them and they would make themselves culpaple of all the precious bloud that should be spilt in a way of persecution and all the reproaches mockings scornes scourging● banishments imprisonments contempts ignominies disgraced and affronts that shall be cast upon any Christian and the Gospel of Christ which any of Gods people shall hereafter in any wise suffer in this Kingdeme for their consciences and sincerity in Gods service would be laid upon their score and I solemnly professe with words of sobriety upon the Altar of truth that Gods people and this whole Kingdome would have cause to blame them as the greatest prevaricators of all others for to be treacherous for honours is dishonourable for a great Office to betray a trust is sordid and mercenary to betray a trust for feare is cowardly and servile for flattery or insinuation is weake effeminate and childish for love or relation is not so great an offence because more humane howbeit all treason committed against a mans Countrey is inhumane and unworthy but for one Christian to betray another is of all treacheryes the most abominable and here let me make this argument for the Army will it be sufficient for them to say if persecution should arise after their disbanding deare friends we cannot help you the Parliament are all for the Presbytery many of the Assembly and City Ministers were so importunate with many of the honourable Members to settle their Presbytery that we have left all things to them would it not be answered what Hath the Lord that gave you courage taken away ●cir wisdome did you begin in the s●irit and end in the flesh Is this the requit all we must expect for all our ●●●es for you who have prayed and beleeved you into all your victorior You say it had been most noble and so indeed it had for the Parliament before you engaged to have told you plainly Gentlemen We suspect many of you to be Independents be advised what you doe if you give us the victory we intend to settle a Presbytery and to suffer none to live in the Kingdome but such as shall conforme to the present government if you will fight to settle Presbytery well and good but your victory will be your ruine for the King promiseth a liberty and indulgence to tender consciences Might not your friends in the City and Kingdome as well have expected as much from you that you should have told them provide for your own indemnity the Bishops being by our means put down and abolished and the Presbytery setled wee intended no more as for the freedome of our consciences and yours and finding out an expedient for cheap and quick justice to be administred in all places which might make the poore Kingdome some good amends for all the charges they have been at if the Parliament please to doe it well and good we have that which we fought for Et gaudeant possidentes 'T is therefore but a taking of Gods providence in vain by many that looking only at the outside of things say that this Army loses much of their Honour they had gained by not Disbanding 't is quite contrary they had endangered the losse of their Honour indeed if they had disbanded before Laws and Liberties be setled perseverance is the Crown of Action to fight for Laws and Liberties and then to suffer an inconsiderable number of Intendiaries to trample upon the Priviledges of the Subject this had been a stain of a deep dye the truth is that the bellows are blown by some of the Clergy themselves Who knows not but that Divines as they call themselves have by their Divinations almost infatuated all Christendome but there is no Enchantment against Israel nor Divination against Jacob says Luther If Popery had lasted but two years longer in Saxony the Priests would have made the papists to have eaten straw with the Oxen were not most Kingdomes in Europe governed by Cardinals Bishops Priests and the Clergy who did not easily foresee in England but that it was an impossible thing to abolish Bishops without a War the Hierarchy had such a deep rooting that without a great Earthquake it could never have been shaken I have heard when the Parliament began some worthy Members being in discourse about the putting down of Bishops Master Pym and other gallant men sayd It was not possible to be done and when the Assembly first met they thought it impossible to take away the Common Prayer Book but we see what the Lord hath done for his people by his blessing upon the Parliament and our Armies mistake me not I doe not rejoyce that the COMMON PRAYER BOOK is suppressed for my part if the PARLIAMENT shall so please let those that are so earnest for it keepe● it still much good it may do them though I think little good will it do to them it never did hurt to Papists nor good to Protestants unlesse it be to shew them their dangerous condition for they pray that their lives may be more pure and holy and yet many of them scoff and jecreat purity and holiness but though we be not all one in judgement and opinion yet let us be all one in affection and live lovingly together as Brethren for he that loves another onely because he is of his opinion loves himself in that man A friend of mine too violent for the Classicall way seemed to be very angry because his Majesty was permitted the use of the Common Prayer Book I asked him whether in case his Majesty would be graciously pleased to allow him

the use of the Directory hee would not think it fit that his MAJESTY should have the liberty of his Conscience he sayd wee had Covenanted against it to take it away as a branch of Popery I told him the speciall point of popery to be rooted out is all domineering and tyrannizing over the conscience Are wee not all the servants of God why should wee Lord it one over another in matters of conscience but hee replyed that we were to bring all to the neerest Uniformity I answered that neerest was not the same Many ships sayl neer a Rock that come not to it the Common Prayer Book and Directory are very neer of kin I know no reason why they may not bear with one another if his Majesty and the Parliament please I remember being at Sedan a passage not unworty to be inserted the Duke of Bullun Prince of Sedan whose Ancestors and himselfe had been speciall friends to the French Protestants for the love of a beautifull Romish Lady changed his Religion and turned papist The Town being all Protestants as good reason they had accordingly opposed it He entreated them that he might be married by a priest in the Towne they refused it The Duke left his Mother the good old Madam in the Castle went away and was married return'd with his Lady but the Inhabitants shut the gates against him and so hee went to one of his Summer houses two leagues from the Town and there were severall Treaties between him and his Subjects about his Re-admittance He alledging that since he and his Ancestors had been the procurers of their Liberties why should they envy him the liberty of his conscience they sayd He was a Star faln from Heaven and it would be dangerous for them to be under his command An Englishman discoursing with Molinaus and Rambursius two learned Ministers about it assumed by way of argument that as that case stood with all its circumstances for them to deny him the exercise of his conscience who had purchased their Liberties was most unjust in it selfe and would be prejudiciall to other Protestants by incouraging Catholike Princes against them and might bring mischief upon their own heads at last he had liberty to come into the Town the Lady Duchess his wife and Masse was sayd in the Castle allowing her two priests and no more but not long since the French King made advantage of it against them that they denyed liberty to their naturall Prince and they are now I feare as the Rochilers are and no freer But this I drive at Rigid Presbytery is but yet a Probationer if it should be setled in this Kingdom● in the height and power of it it would undoubtedly cost ten times more bloud to remove it then ever it hath done to abolish Episcopacy I speak of a Rigid strict Presbytery that make their judgement as the Kings Royall Standard to weigh and measure all opinions by them to walk by their rule which will admit of no Exceptions if you would know what such a Presbyter is you may take it thus A Rigid Presbyter is he that is against every man and every man against him he will endure no man in the Kingdom but those that are of his opinion in omnibus and therefore no man in the Kingdome hath reason to endure him I assure you that that grievous Disease called the Sudor Anglicus the Sweating Sicknesse which lasted about forty years in this Kingdome that swept away so many that Harvest could not be Inned in many places was not so dangerous to this Kingdome as this Rigid Presbytery if it should grow inveterate there is a Prophesie in Scotland It began with Knoxs and must end with knocks my prayer is that the Rulers in that Kingdom would have a more favourable regard to tender Consciences and give free liberty to Gods people in their Native Kingdome There are many Scots banished into Holland and other places for matter of Conscience whom I verily believe to be precious Christians some of them told mee that their parents had been principall Instruments in the Reformation of Religion in that Kingdom and therefore took it unkindly that they should be exiled for some differences in opinions no way fundamentall or destructive of State-policy for why in the name of God should it any more disturbe the peace of the Kingdom to permit Christians to pray together in a private Chamber then for others to meet there about their ordinary businesse I desire deerly to be conceived when I use the word Presbytery the Lord knows my heart I use it onely for distinction sake not for reproach I do not oppose nor speak against a moderate Presbyter but look upon it as an excellent way to restrain vice and for my own part I like it for that which many fear it Namely it will be a means to prevent many frivolous quarrels and contentious Law-suits Certainly there is an externall beauty in that Government in Scotland Geneva the French Congregations but truly the power of Godliness is seen but little amongst them I have known in a Presbyterian Ministers house that there hath bin no prayer nor Family dutyes performed twice in a yeare and Examination before the Sacrament counted superfluous and if any thing have been questioned no other answer but the Puritans in England will be under no Order nor Government Is it not fit that Gods people for whose sake the World continues should have a being in the World if they can mayntain it nor do I say any thing against moderate Presbyters I believe there are many godly men of the Presbyterian judgment though not as they are Presbyters Saint Peter opposed Christ in the worke of redemption for which our Saviour sayd unto him Get thee behind me Satan and the devout women opposed the Apostles in the planting of the Gospel Amaziah and Jehosaphat good Kings of Judah yet took not away the high places Hezekiah did and Josiah yet more and more all godly men are not equally enlightned Were there not some godly Conformists think you in the Bishops time that opposed Nonconformists He that is the strictest Presbyter now possibly seven yeares since was for Bishops and seven yeares hence if God give repentance for keeping his Son Christ out of his throne may be an Independent But this is the misery that those men which are the most zealous promoters of the Rigid Presbyterian way are Politicians whose greatest Religion is to be of no Religion at all that play their game so cunningly that the godly Presbyterians not discerning their ambitious aymes which is to make themselves Grandees in Church and State joyne and concur with them as I have told you what the Rigid Presbyter is so I shall expresse whom I mean by the godly Presbyter I am well acquainted with many of them and I verily believe in my conscience that hee is such a one who really intends the glory of God and the welfare of this Kingdom and

good for the whole he must conclude to be good for him 't is true those that will not execute justice deserve to be executed themselves but consider whether sufferance or resistance conduce most to the common good There are some Scriptures which seem I confesse to be contradictory We reade in the Book of Ioshua and Iudges how a suspition of Idolatry causes Israel to assemble to warres against Reuben and Mana●seth and against Benjamin for the Levites Concub●nes all rising as one man saying Deliver us the children of Beliall and Jonah was cast out of the ship that would have been the wrack of them all David took up armes against Saul in his own Kingdome his King his Master as in his house and of his Table and Family fled to Sauls Enemy to Akish and offered to second him against Saul fortifyed Ketlah one of his Towns against him and if Saul had stopt the Cave to have pined him doubtlesse he wou●d have used means to get out and yet God was his Counsellor by discovering the Princes of Keilah their intentions and the people cryed all with one voyce Jonathan shall not die for the good he hath done to our Countrey and the Scripture speaks plainly that tribute is to be paid so farre as the subjects may pay tribute to God for this cause pay we tribute I give such reverence to the holy Scriptures that when I finde a president for which I doe not understand the reason I conceive there was a reason for it in those times which is now absolete things were done by speciall inspi ation which are not exemplary to us nor may we judge where the Scripture is silent whether it was well or ill done but I am clearly of opinion that in a Kingdome well composed if one man or 100 men should suffer in the Kingdome that the subjects ought not to take up armes suddenly to right themselves but expect with patience till the Authors and procurors of injustice be brought to condign punishment for when an evill in State Policy cannot be removed without the manifest danger of a greater to succeed wisedome must give place to necessity which all Kingdomes must make use of ordinarily and people must studdy when the best manner of Government is not possible without great danger to be obtained to make the best of the pre●ent when the best things are not possible to make the best o those that are as we say to make the best of an ill game and not to throw it up and say they will play no more 't is not the part of a faire Gamster so to doe when all things are quiet in a Kingdome then consider how that which must be endured may be mitigated and the inconveniences countervailed but if the State collective in the whole body of it or the State contract in a Parliament or Senate shall upon good grounds conceive that the point of that sword which they put into the hands of their Governours to protect them is by evill advise turned against themselves in this case clearly the sword must be wrested out of the Trustees hands if the Master and the Mate be drunk all the Passengers must save themselves if the Dogs will not bark the Geese will cry when the Gaules are scaling the Capitoll for no inconvenience can be greater and this was the Parliaments case for raising Forces they wisely considered before they Voted any Army that in that condition the Kingdome stood the remedy could not possibly be worse then the disease for the disease was the utter subversion of Lawes and Liberties and the destruction of the Protestant Religion at least in the power of it for truly to speak my thoughts freely I doe not think that the difference between the late Oxford Party and the Parliament was whether we should be Protestants or Papists but whether we should be formall Protestants at large or Professors in the power of Religion and God grant that this may no longer be the Controversy in this Nation But because tediousnesse and delay has ever been an enemy to this Kingdome I shall say no more in a subject that has been so much controverted concerning the late unhappy differences but shall apply my selfe to the present juncture and first concerning the Army 1 Pet. 3.15 BLessed Peter bids Christians to be ready to make an Apology for their faith but truly there needs no Apology for the Army unlesse it be for their too much patience in suffering the Kingdome and themselves to be so long abused bysome Incendaries of State who care not to set all on fire to warm themselves For had they come to the Houses the next day after they were declared Enemies and demanded Iustice against the cheife Promoters and Contrivers thereof it had been most just by the Lawes of God and man and I am confident that there was never any former Army in the world but would have done it That such Gallant men which have kept some of the cheife Contrivers heads upon their shoulders for an humble Petition presented to their Noble Generall which all Souldiers by the Law of Armes may doe should be voted enemies and disturbers for that which since hath been acknowledged to be but just was the most monstrous ingratitude that ever was heard of under the Sun since the first moment of its Creation and sure they durst not so justly have provoked them but that they knew they were acted by more noble principalls that though they had the sword in their hand yet they durst not offend God Religion being to them the strongest bridle But whom God will destroy for their great Provocations he first dementates they have rejected the Counsell of God and what wisedome is there in them Policy is a branch of wisedome and all wisedome is from God but this I must premise that that Declaration was not in judgement of Law any Act of the Honourable House for the most Honourable Houses being the Protectors of our Lawes the Preserve●s Surveyers and Defenders of all our lawfull Liberties and the Haven and Refuge of all that are oppressed it cannot possibly bee imagined that they in their great wisedomes should unlesse misinfo●med vote them enemies to the State and disturbers of the Peace thereof which with the adventure of their lives have saved the Kingdome and preserved the Peace thereof I say under favour we can no more imagine it then wee can the Sea to be poysoned but it was in Law a Declaration of their malevolent intentions who exceedingly mis-informed and seduced and did what in them lay to poyson the very fountain of Iustice who suddenly contrived it in an illegall way against expresse order at an unparliamentary hour and so a meer nullity rather a Nocturnall surprise then a solemn act of Consultation Livery and Seisin made in the night is void if a man be rob'd in the night there is no reliefe for him it being no time for travell no distresse can be taken for

reap for them the honey by those men was not intended for the Bees sic vos non vobis c. Tell me now is it not more mercy to kill the wolfe then to let him go is it not better to be nourished by a Theefe then kild by a Shepheard is it not better to be healed by an Emperick then to be poysoned by a Physitian But in the former Case that I put where twenty chose a Captain to command them for he is as truly a King though not so great and glorious a King that reignes over twenty as hee that reignes over twenty millions Many of the Kings mentioned in Scripture of Sychem Iericho Sodom and Gomorrah never had so large a command as the Lord Mayor of London No King in Israel was Conductor of the people Governour is the generall word and to bee a King is but one kinde of Government Florence and Muscovy but Dukes in name have the greatest power of any Kings in Christendome if the seventeen desire to serve God contrary to the Captains judgement with the Common Prayer Book for the purpose the Captain with the other two comes to the house where the seventeen are worshiping interrupts them and will hale them to a prison they alleadge for themselves that they doe not any way disturb the present Government of State but desire freedome in their Consciences the question is Whether in this case it be against the word of God for these seventeen to defend their owne profession and to destroy the Captain and the other two for the liberty of their consciences if otherwise they cannot preserve it my meaning is after all meanes of entreaty used to the Captain to bee indulgent to them in so pretious a thing as Gods Service is and flying b●ck to a wall as we say as farre as a man can when he is pursued and so to make it but a pure se defendendo For my own part I think that it is not only lawfull but a thing most necessary that if these seventeen men should suffer themselves to bee imprisoned for their consciences by their Captain and two others that God would be angry with them for being so unnaturall and unjust to themselves But then the question will be If the Captain and seventeen should be of one opinion and the other two contrary minded and the eighteen make it capitall and condemn the other two for Heretiques whether may the other two resist in this case I answer they may save themselves by flight if they can but for two to take up Arms against the eighteen I am doubtfull whether it bee lawfull at least convenient because there is no probable hopes of successe and it is the minde of God that these two should suffer patiently what they cannot help and this will fall within that excellent Rule Of two evils the least is to be chosen the two are sure to lose their lives therefore they must suffer patiently rather then to endanger the lives of others with them for the God of peace does not delight in warres and then an evill is judged to bee inevitable when there is no apparent ordinary way to avoyd it because without an extraordinary warrant wee may not presume of Gods extraordinary power and assistance as if an honest man with a sword bee set upon by two theeves with pistols now in this case I hold it wisdome to deliver his purse to save his life because two are stronger then one Nature is Gods Lievtenant and efficient by a power from God received continued permitted and in humane affaires we are to look what the course of Nature may probably effect if not checked when God sayes this shall be because I will not hinder it then Nature of its own nature produces such effects What King with a thousand will fight against him that comes with ten thousand and as the use of lawfull means for safety does not argue a confidence in the creature but a subordination of the meanes that God without meanes can do it but meanes without God cannot doe it yet somtimes God puts more strength then ordinary into the creature and acts more immediatly by ten sometimes chasing a thousand therefore I passe it over But my meaning is that a warre for desence of Religion is unquestionable but the manner is alwayes to bee pondered and that in any Kingdome or State where such a considerable number of people which are the stronger part shall upon good grounds bee convinced in their judgements that they cannot by reason of the prevalency of some proud domineering covetous or malicious spirited men that had rather lose a Kingdome then that some men should enjoy too much of heaven upon earth and would set the Kingdome together by the eares to get their Eare-rings who while they exclaym against Conventicles and private meetings of honest people are themselves the most dangerous and only Conventiclers that I know in the Kingdom having their constant meetings how to oppresse and degrade all that stand in their way both in soules and bodies it being such clandestine and factious Ends onely that in judgement of Law makes a Conventicle for a hundred men to assemble to carry a Tree is no offence and will not let honest and peaceable men have freedome and liberty to serue God according to that light they have received from the Father of lights and to receive common justice submitting for conscience sake to every ordinance of man in such a case it is not onely permitted but commanded that these men manfully defend themselves and their liberties or else they are in effect selfe-murtherers and in such a case the truth of God is of that value that his meekest servants will fight for it rather then it shall be indangered what Doctor Ferne obj●cts against it is but stubble and combustible and will not beare the weight of a feather in the ballance of the Sanctuary for will any man that is sound in his intellectuals unlesse he desire to be a Bishop Imagine that ever Saint Paul commanded the poore Saints in Neroes household to be subject to Nero in Church matters that was an enemy to them or to Caligula that wished that all Christians had but one naturall head as they had but one mysticall I wish there were no Caligulaes amongst us that would be cutting off many heads at one blow Indeed if any Court might enforce mens consciences what miserable things were Christians Truth shall be sure to be shut out of doors for the most are seldome the best Paul speaks of legall civill authority the Saints in Rome are but a handfull and had no law for their Religion That there should be some government is Gods institution as in the fifth Commandement which bindes the conscience in positive Laws though hard and rigorous but the manner of it is mans appointment and constitution of whose power and authority good and evill actions are the proper and adaequate objects I willingly grant that