Selected quad for the lemma: city_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
city_n	according_a	lord_n	zion_n	154	3	9.0090	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66445	The blovdy tenent, of persecution, for cause of conscience, discussed, in a conference betweene trvth and peace vvho, in all tender affection, present to the high court of Parliament, as the result of their discourse, these, amongst other passages, of highest consideration.	Williams, Roger, 1604?-1683.; Cotton, John, 1584-1652.	1644 (1644)	Wing W2758; ESTC R2405	232,471	275

Conscience Peace What should be the reason of this their expression Truth Doubtles their Consciences tell them how few of those Churches which they yet acknowledge Churches are able and willing to hold forth Christ Iesus the Sun of Righteousnes healing with his wings the doubting and afflicted conscience Lastly their conscience tells them that a Servant of Christ Iesus may possibly be sent as an Heretick to be healed by a false Church which Church will never be willing to deale with him or never be able to convince him Peace Yea but they say by such a course the Magistrate shall convince such an ones conscience that hee seekes his good c. Truth If a man thus bound be sent to a Church to be healed in his conscience either he is an Heretick or he is not Admit he be yet he disputes in feare as the poor theefe the Mouse disputes with a terrible persecuting Cat who while she seemes to play and gently tosse yet the conclusion is a proud insulting and devouring crueltie If no Heretick but an innocent and faithfull witnes of any Truth of Jesus disputes he not as a Lambe in the Lyons paw being sure in the end to be torne in pieces Peace They adde The censure this way proceeds with more power and blessing Truth All power and blessing is from that blessed Son of God unto whom all power is given from the Father in Heaven and Earth He hath promised his presence with his Messengers preaching and baptizing to the worlds end ratifying in Heaven what they blinde or loose on Earth But let any man shew me such a commission instruction and promise given by the Son of God to Civill powers in these spirituall affaires of his Christian Kingdome and Worship Peace Lastly they conclude This course of first sending the Heretick to be healed by the Church takes away all excuse for none can say that he is persecuted for his Conscience but for sinning against his Conscience Truth Iesabel placing poore Naboth before the Elders as a blasphemer of God and the King and sanctifying the plotted and intended murther with a day of humiliation may seeme to take away all excuse and to conclude the Blasphemer worthy to be stoned But Iehovah the God of Recompences ●er 51. when he makes Inquisition for blood will find both Iesabel and Ahab guilty and make the Dogs a feast with the flesh of Iesabel and leave not to Ahab a man to pisse against the wall for as Paul in his owne plea there was nothing committed worthy of death and against thee O King saith Daniel I have not sinned Dan. 6. in any Civill fact against the State CHAP. C. Peace THeir eighth question is this viz. What power Magistrates have about the gathering of Churches First the Magistrate hath power and it is his duty to incourage and countenance such persons as voluntarily joyn themselves in holy Covenant both by his presence if it may be and promise of protection they accepting the right hand of fellowship from other neighbour Churches Secondly he hath power ●o forbid all Idolatrous and corrupt Assemblies who offer to put themselves under their patronage and shall attempt to joyne themselves into a Church-estate and if they shall not hearken to force them therefrom by the power of the Sword Psal. 101. 8. For our tolerating many Religions in a State in severall Churches beside the provoking of God may in time not only corrupt leaven divide and so destroy the peace of the Churches but also dissolve the continuity of the State especially ours whose wals are made of the stones of the Churches it being also contrary to the end of our planting in this part of the World which was not only to enjoy the pure Ordinances but to enjoy them all in purity Thirdly He hath power to compell all men within his grant to heare the Word for hearing the Word of God is a duty which the light of Nature leadeth even Heathens to The Ninivites heard Ionah though a stranger and unknowne unto them to be an extraordinary Prophet Ionah 3. And Eglon the King of Moab hearing that Ehud had a message from God he rose out of his seat for more reverent attention Iudg. 3. 20. Yet he hath no power to compell all men to become members of Churches because he hath not power to make them fit members for the Church which is not wrought by the power of the Sword but by the power of the Word Nor may he force the Churches to accept of any for members but those whom the Churches themselves can freely approve of Truth To the first branch of this head I answer That the Magistrate should encourage and countenance the Church yea and protect the persons of the Church from violence disturbance c. It being truly noble and glorious by how much the Spouse and Queene of the Lord Iesus transcends the Ladies Queens and Empresses of the World in glory beauty chastity and innocency 'T is true all Magistrates in the world do this viz. Incourage and protect that Church or Assembly of worshippers which they judge to be true and approve of but not permitting other consciences then their owne It hath come to passe in all ages and yet doubtlesse will that the Lord Iesus and His Queene are driven and persecuted out of the World To the second That the Magistrate ought to suppresse all Churches which he judgeth false he quoteth Psal. 101. 8. Betimes I will cut off the wicked of the Land that I may cut off all evill doers from the City of Jehovah unto which he addeth foure Reasons Peace Deare Truth first a word to that Scripture so often quoted and so much boasted of Truth Concerning that holy Land of Canaan concerning the City of Iehovah Ierusalem out of which King David here resolves to cut off all the wicked and evill doers I shall speake more largely on the 11 Head or Question in the differences between that and all other Lands At present I answer There is no holy Land or City of the Lord no King of Sion c. but the Church of Iesus Christ and the King thereof according to 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a holy Nation and Ierusalem is the holy people of God in the true profession of Christianity Heb. 12. Gal. 4. Rev. 21. Out of which the Lord Iesus by his holy Ordinances in such a government and by such governours as he hath appointed he cuts off every wicked person and evill doer If Christ Iesus had intended any difference of plate Cities or Countries doubtlesse Ierusalem and Samaria had been thought of or the Cities of Asia wherein the Christian Religion was so gloriously planted But the Lord Iesus disclaimes Ierusalem and Samaria forth having any respect of holinesse more then other Cities Iohn 4. And the Spirit of God evidently testineth that the Churches were in the Cities and Countries not that the whole Cities or Countries were Gods holy Land

the heart of the King viz. to restraine upon paine of Death all the millions of men under his Dominion from the Idolatties of their severall and respective Countries to constraine them all upon the like penaltie to conforme to the Worship of the God of Israel to build him a Temple erect an Altar ordaine Priests offer sacrifice observe the Fasts and Feasts of Israel yea did God put it into the Kings heart to send Levites into all the parts of his Dominion compelling them to heare which is but a naturall thing as some unsoundly speake unto which all are bound to submit Well however Ezra gives thankes to God for the Kings and so should all that feate God in all Countries if he would please to put it into the hearts of the Kings States and Parliaments to take off the yoakes of Violence and permit at least the Consciences of their Subjects and especially such as in truth make Conscience of their Worships to the God of Israel and yet no cause for Ezra then or Gods Ezra's and Israelites now to acknowledge the care and charge of Gods worship Church and Ordinances to lie upon the shoulders of Artaxerxes or any other Civill Prince or Ruler Lastly for the Confirmation or Ratification which they suppose Magistrates are bound to give to the Lawes of Christ I answer Gods cause Christs Truth and the two-edged sword of his Word never stood in need of a temporall Sword or an humane Witnes to confirme and ratifie them If we receive the witnesse of an honest man the witnesse of the most holy God is greater 1. Iohn 5. The result and summe of the whole matter is this 1. It may please God sometimes to stir up the Rulers of the Earth to permit and tolerate to favour and countenance Gods people in their worships though only out of some strong conviction of conscience or feare of wrath c. and yet themselves neither understand Gods worship nor leave their owne state Idolatry or Country worship For this Gods people ought to give thankes unto God yea and all men from this example may learne not to charge upon the Magistrates conscience besides the care of the Civill peace the bodies and goods of men the Spirituall peace in the worship of God and soules of men but hence are Magistrates instructed favourably to permit their subjects in their worships although themselves bee not perswaded to submit to them as Nebuchadnezzar Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes did CHAP. XCVII Peace THe sixt question is this How far the Church is subject to their Lawes All those say they who are members of the Commonweale are bound to be subject to all the just and righteous Laws thereof and therefore membership in Churches not cutting men off from the membership in commonweales they are bound to be subject even every soule Rom. 13. 1. as Christ himselfe and the Apostles were in their places wherein they lived and therefore to exempt the Clergy as the Papists do from Civill subjection and to say that generatio Clerici is corruptio subditi is both sinfull and scandalous to the Gospel of God and though all are equally subject yet Church members are more especially bound to yeeld subjection and the most eminent most especially bound not only because conscience doth more strongly binde but also because their ill examples are more infectious to others pernicious to the State and provoke Gods wrath to bring vengeance on the State Hence if the whole Church or officers of the Church shall sin against the State or any person by sedition contempt of Authority heresie blasphemy oppression slander or shall withdraw any of their members from the service of the State without the consent thereof their persons and estates are liable to Civill punishments of Magistrates according to their righteous and wholsome Lawes Exod. 22. 20. Levit. 24. 16. Deut. 13. 5. 18. 10. Truth What concernes this head in civill things I gladly subscribe unto what concernes heresie blasphemy c. I have plentifully before spoken to and shall here only say 2 things First those Scriptures produced concerne only the people of God in a Church estate and must have reference onely to the Church of Christ Jesus which as Mr. Cotton confesseth is not Nationall but Congregationall of so many as may meet in one place 1 Cor. 14 therefore no Civ●ll State can be the antitype and parallell to which purpose upon the 11 Question I shall at large shew the difference betweene that Nationall Church and State of Israel and all other States and Nations in the World Secondly If the Rulers of the Earth are bound to put to death all that worship other gods then the true God or that blaspheme that is speake evill of in a lesser or higher degree that one true God it must unavoidably follow that the beloved for the Fathers sake the Jewes whose very Religion blasphemeth Christ in the highest degree I say they are actually sonnes of death and all to be immediately executed according to those quoted Scriptures And Secondly the Townes Cities Nations and Kingdomes of the World must generally be put to the sword if they speedily renounce not their Gods and Worships and so cease to blaspheme the true God by their Idolatries This bloody consequence cannot be avoided by any Scripture rule for if that rule be of force Deut. 13. 18. not to spare or shew mercy upon person or City falling to Idolatry that bars out all favour or partiality and then what heapes upon heapes in the slaughter houses and shambles of Civill Warres must the world come to as I have formerly noted and that unnecessarily it being not required by the Lord Jesus for his sake and the Magistrates power and weapons being essentially Civill and so not reaching to the impiety or ungodlinesse but the incivility and unrighteousnesse of tongue or hand CHAP. XCVIII Peace DEare Truth these are the poysoned daggers stabbing at my tender heart Oh when shall the Prince of peace appeare and reconcile the bloudy sons of men but let me now propose their 7 head viz. In what order may the Magistrate execute punishment on a Church or Church-member that offendeth his Lawes First grosse and publicke notorious sinnes which are against the light of conscience as Heresie c. there the Magistrate keeping him under safe ward should send the offendour first to the Church to heale his conscience still provided that the Church be both able and willing thereunto By which meanes the Magistrate shall convince such an ones conscience that he seeketh his healing rather then his hurt The censure also against him shall proceed with more power and blessing and none shall have cause to say that the Magistrate persecutes men for their consciences but that he justly punisheth such an one for sinning rather against his conscience Tit. 3. 0. Secondly in private offences how the Magistrate may proceed see Chap. 12. It is not materiall

Christian fellowship which doubtlesse they could not doe were the Magistrate supreme Governour under Christ in Ecclesiasticall or Church causes and so consequently the true heire and successour of the Apostles CHAP. CXXXVI Peace THe 15. Head runs thus viz. In what cases must Churches proceed with Magistrates in case of offence We like it well that Churches be flower in proceeding to excommunication as of all other so of Civill Magistrates especially in point of their Judiciall proceedings unlesse it be in scandalous breach of a manifest Law of God and that after notorious evidence of the fact and that after due seeking and waiting for satisfaction in a previous Advertisement And though each particular Church in respect of the Government of Christ be independent and absolute within it selfe yet where the Common-weale consists of Church members it may be a point of Christian wisedome to consider and consult with the Court also so far as any thing may seeme doubtfull to them in the Magistrates case which may be further cleered by intelligence given from them but otherwise we dare not leave it in the power of any Church to forbear to proceed agree upon that on Earth which they plainly see Christ hath resolved in his Word and will ratifie in Heaven Truth If the scope of this Head be to qualifie and adorne christian impartialitie and faithfulnes with christian wisdome and tendernesse I honour and applaud such a Christian motion but whereas that case is put which is no where found in the patterne of the first Churches nor suiting with the Rule of Christianitie to wit that the Commonweale should consist of Church members which must be taken privatively to wit that none should be admitted members of the Commonweale but such as are first members of the Church which must necessarily run the Church upon that Temptation to feele the pulse of the Court concerning a delinquent Magistrate before they dare proceed I say let such Practices be brought to the Touchstone of the true frame of a civill commonweale and the the true frame of the Spirituall or Christian commonweale the Church of Christ and it will be seen what wood hay and stubble of carnall policie and humane inventions in Christs matters are put in place of the precious stones gold and silver of the Ordinances of the most High and only wise God CHAP. CXXXVII Peace DEare Truth We are now arrived at their last Head the Title is this viz. Their power in the Liberties and Priviledges of these Churches First all Magistrates ought to be chosen out of Church-members Ezod 18. 21. Deut. 17. 15. Prov. 29. 2. When the Righteous rule the people rejoyce Secondly that all free men elected be only Church-members 1. Because if none but Church members should rule then others should not choose because they may elect others beside Church members 2. From the patterne of Israel where none had power to choose but only Israel or such as were joyned to the people of God 3. If it shall fall out that in the Court consisting of Magistrates and Deputies there be a dissent between them which may hinder the common good that they now returne for ending the same to their first principles which are the Free men and let them be consulted with Truth In this Head are 2 branches First concerning the choice of Magistrates that such ought to be chosen as are Church members for which is quoted Exod. 18. 21. Dut. 17. 15. Proverbs 19. 29. Unto which I answer It were to be wished that since the point is so weighty as concerning the Pilots and Steeresmen of Kingdoms and Nations c. on whose abilitie care and faithfulnesse depends most commonly the peace and safety of the commonweales they fall in I say it were to be wished that they had more fully explained what they intend by this Affirmative viz. Magistrates ought to be chosen out of Church members For if they intend by this Ought to be chosen a necessitie of concenience viz. that for the greater advancement of common utilitie and rejoycing of the people according to the place quoted Prov. 29. 2. it were to be desired prayed for and peaceably endeavored then I readily assent unto them But if by this Ought they intend such a necessitie as those Scriptures quoted imply viz. that people shall sin by choosing such for Magistrates as are not members of Churches as the Israelites should have sinned if they had not according to Iethro's counsell Exod. 18. and according to the command of God Deut. 18. chosen their Iudges and Kings within themselves in Israel then I propose these necessary Quaries First whether those are not lawfull Civill combinations societies and communions of men in Townes Cities States or Kingdoms where no Church of Christ is resident yea where his name was never yet heard of I adde to this that Men of no small note skilfull in the state of the World acknowledge that the World divided into 30 parts 25 of that 30 have never yet heard of the name of Christ If their Civill polities and combinations be not lawfull because they are not Churches and their Magistrates Church members then disorder confusion and all unrighteousnes is lawfull and pleasing to God Secondly whether in such States or Commonweales where a Church or Churches of Christ are resident such persons may not lawfully succeed to the Crown or Government in whome the feare of God according to Iethroes councell cannot be discerned not are brethren of the Church according to Deut. 17. but only are fitted with Civill and Morall abilities to manage the Civill affaires of the Civill State Thirdly since not many Wise and Noble are called but the poores receive the Gospel as God hath chosen the poore of the World to be rich in Faith 1 Cor. 1 Jam. 2. Whether it may not ordinarily come to passe that there may not be found in a true Church of Christ which sometimes consisteth but of few persons persons fit to be either Kings or Governours c. whose civill office is no lesse difficult then the office of a Doctor of Physick a Master or Pilot of a Ship or a Captaine or Commander of a Band or Army of men for which services the children of God may be no wayes qualified though otherwise excellent for the feare of God and the knowledge and Grace of the Lord Iesus 4. If Magistrates ought that is ought only to be chosen out of the Church I demand if they ought not also to be dethroned and deposed when they cease to be of the Church either by voluntary departure from it or by excommunication out of it according to the bloody tenents and practice of some Papists with whom the Protestants according to their principles although they seeme to abhor it doe absolutely agree 5. Therefore lastly I ask if this be not to turne the World upside down to turne the World out of the World to pluck up the