Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	abbot_n	bishop_n	king_n	2,571	5	3.6334	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78117	An answer to the Essex Watchmens watchword, being 63 of them in number. Or a discovery of their ignorance, in denying liberty to tender consciences in religious worship, to be granted alike to all. Also, shewing how persecution for conscience came in. / By Edw. Barber freeman of Engl. citizen & marchant-taylor of London.	Barber, Edward, d. 1674?	1649 (1649)	Wing B692; Thomason E552_9; Thomason E561_9; ESTC R205724	17,312	22

till the last which should they be put to death because they come not with the first they then would be prevented from comming at all Acts 8. 3. Acts 9. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 10. Matt. 20. 6. It is affirmed by King James of famous memory in his Speech at the Sessions of Parliament Anno 1609. That it is a sure rule in Devinity That God never loves to plant his Church with violence and Bloodshed Again in his Apollogy for the oath of Allegiance Pag. 4. speaking of those Papists that took the said Oath saith I gave a good proof for it that I never intended persecution for Conscience cause but only desired to be secured of them for Civill obedience It was usually the condition of the Christians to be persecuted but not to persecute And lamentable it is to see the folly of late times and we cannot but greive at the folly of men who think by humane Inventions and carnall aide of Lawes and Statutes to help God and with worldly power and pomp to defend the Churches of Christ as if he by his own power were not able to do it and to perform his own will Matt. 27. 52. 53. 54. The Church hath formerly bin known by enduring Misery and imprisonment but it is the marke of the Church of Antichrist to terrifie others by imprifonments bannishments and persecutions boasting her selfe that she is highly esteemed in the world whereas the true Church of Christ cannot but be hated of the same Iohn 15. 18. 19. 20. Rev. 13. 3. It was commanded by the Law If a man met a betrothed Damsell in the ●ield and the man force her he was to die Then what shall those expect that shall force the conscience the spouse of Christ Deut. 22. 25. Hosea 2. 19. 20. 2 Cor. 11. 2. The example of many Nations both in Scripture and at this day known may suffice to suffer the conscience free Abraham lived in Egypt in Gerar among the Philistines after with the Hittites Lot in Sodom Isaac in Gerar Israel in Egypt 430. years after in Babylon 30 years yet never constrained in their Religion Also in the daies of our Saviour how many Religions were there in that famous Empire of Casars yet not by him persecuted or constrained to his Religion Gen. 20. Gen. 23. Gen. 13. Gen. 26. It was the Judgement of Luther That the Lawes of the Civill Magistrate extended no farther then over the bodies goods that which is externall for over the soule God will have none to rule but himself And therefore where-ever the civill Magistrate undertaketh to set laws for the souls and consciences of men he usurpeth that Government and authority to himself which appertaineth only to God Psa 89. 27. Isa 33. 22. Phil. 2. 9. 2 Tim 3. 16. James 4. 12. Rev. 22. 18. 19. And therefore we conceive it the highest degree of Antichrists impiety sitting in the temple of God as God shewing himself that he is God 2 Thess 2. 4. in giving Laws to the Conscience which is Gods Prerogative onely Deut. 27 4. In the building of the Temple there was no sound of Iron heard to shew that Christ will have in his Church a free consent not compelled mor constained by Lawes and Statutes for the Kings of the Earth shall bring their glory unto it 1. Kings 6. 7. Joshuah 8. 31. Isa 60. 11. Rev. 21. 24. Againe the Churches of Christ must look for suffering with every particular member thereof as he himself did who is their head being thereby made perfect being the way and means that God hath appointed to publish the Gospel which caused the Fathers to say The blood of the Martyrs was the Seed of the Church Rom. 8. 29. Phil. 3. 10. Heb 2. 10. Therefore Christians are to be exhorted not compelled for he that will not do that whereunto he is exhorted and perswaded the Gospel injoyning is no true Christian as yet and they that go not this Gospel way to perswade men by exhortation and Counsell but seek to doe it by constraint shew themselves not Gospel Teachers but worldly Beadles rather 2 Tim. 2. 24. For consider if an earthly King will take it so ill as surely he may at his subjects hands to have any equalize themselves with him or submit to a forraigne power or to make Lawes for his Subjects to be guided and ruled by how much more the King of Kings Christ Jesus by whom alone Kings reign will he suffer himself to be displaced and an earthly King placed in his throne Deut. 4. 2. Pro. 30. 6. Rev. 22. 18. 19. Thus we conceive it is clear That no man ought to be forced in matter of Religion the Gospel being spirituall and requireth onely spirituall worshippers like to it self which cannot be made so but by the Word and Spirit of God which breatheth where and when it listeth and not where and when mens Lawes and Statutes pleaseth which may make hypocrites but not true Christians As we said unto you before so say I unto you again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed for do I now perswade men or God Or do I seek to please men for if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ John 4. 24. John 3. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Gal. 1. 9. 10. And thus as you see persecution was never taught by Christ nor yet practised by his Apostles nor by the Primitive ●hristians so afterwards it arose and was brought in by the bloody Heathen Tyrants and continued by Antichrist and his Ministers as appears in Tho. Beacons Relicks of Rome set forth with Priviledge Anno Dom. 1563. Pope Seritius ordained that Heriticks should be banished and that no Christian should Communicate with or keep them company Anno 588. fol. 214. Pope Pelagius the first not content with the former punishment made a Decree that all Heriticks and Schismaticks with all such as be contumiliter disobedient to the holy Church Ordinances should be put to death by the secular power provided alwaies that those bloody B. with their Woolf-like Officers and Antichristian adherents do first of all prosecute imprison and condemn them for Heriticks and aftewards according to their wicked Decrees commit them to the secular power and temporall Magistrates as unto their Butchers and Hangmen to dispach them out of the way either by fire sword or halter for these holy Fathers cry out with their Fore-fathers and Pope-like Predicessors Iohn 18. 31. It is not lawfull for us to put any man to death Anno Dom. 551. fol. 215. Pope Innocent the 3. bearing rule in the year 1215. the Councell of Lattern● was called or celebrated where was present two Patriarks 70. arch-Arch-Bishops Metrapolitans 400 Bishops 12. Abbots 800. Convinciall Priests the Legates of the Greek and Roman Empire with the Embassadors of the Kings of Spain Jerusalem France and England and Ciprus In this Councell it was Decreed that all Heriticks and so many as do in any point resist the Catholick f●ith should be condemned In this Councell was also Decreed that the secular power of what degree soever they be should be compelled openly to sweare for the defence of the Catholick Faith And that to the utmost of their power to roote out and destroy in their Kingdoms all such persons as the Catholick Church h●th condemned for Herit●cks And if he do not reform within one whole year then the Pope is to denounce all his Subjects absolved and utterly delivered from shewing or owing any fidelity or obedience unto him as in this Kingdom it was done by King Iohr Again that the Pope may give that Land to be occupied and enjoyed by the Catholicks and they to possesse it all Heriticks being rooted out peaceably and without contradiction fol. 217. Since this answer to the Ministers Watch-word was at the Printers Mr. John Fereby Minster of Thoydon Garnon one of rhe 63. Aprill the 22 being Lords day took occasion much to enveigh against Sectaries Anabaptist● c. as ●e cal●s them But the Author desires if he doth it out of conscience to answer him by word in a free dispute or by writing concerning the constitution of their Church Ordination of their Ministery Worship Government Maintenance Baptisme or persecution for conscience referring the sensure and judgement there of to all judicious hearers E. B. FINIS

Lords people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them for know the Ministers of the Gospel are fitted for their service by gifts from heaven as Ephes 4. 8. 11. to the 15. And not by Arts learned at Oxford or Cambridge although I desire not in the least to take any thing from them that is properly due to humane learning as thereby to fit men for the service of the State and Common Wealth Again you say the Warre was begun for the defence of the King and Parliament to end in the death of the King and violation of the Parliament Herein you shew as little judgement in civill things as in spirituall but your London brethren at Zion Colledge hath been sufficiently answered to this Next you speak of the feares about Religion and Parliament which you say is turned into sorrows I blame you not for the mysterie of Iniquity is discovered and your cunning craftinesse whereby you lye in wait to deceive also who are those great merchants of the earth with your weeping and wailing for no man buyeth your merchandize any more The which is much aggravated in you by the Agreement of the people wherein your flattering with the Parliament concerning the tender therof is much discovered And for the draught of poyson you speak of I wish this nation had been no more poysoned with the golden cup of the Whore And for the love care you speak of to the people of your respective flocks your Ordinance for Tyths with treble damages without bayle or mainprize upon refusall will sufficiently demonstrate it wherein you have as your reverend Fathers indeavoured to rule with violence not by love And whereas your hearts tremble to think of the subversion of the ancient well grounded government of the Kingdom the Protestant Religion what do you meane what ayle you Have not your selves done this in cutting of your Reverend Fathers the Prelates Alasse they by their Agreement desire to take away all slaverie and tyrannie brought in by Tyrants and their flatterers in their Civill or Ecclesiasticall Government and instead thereof inright the Freemen of England and their posterity in their civill rights and the liberty of the Gospel of King Jesus in its due to wit to set up his government by his lawes and Statutes only Next you speak of an unlimited power of Parliament and that in Religion surely the word of the Lord is fulfilled Isay 44. 25. Saying that frustrateth the tokens of Lyars that maketh diviners mad that turneth wisemen backward and maketh their knowledge foolishnesse c. But truly Sirs I cannot agree with you in neither of these for first in civill things for which they are properly called together they are not to act for their own ends and by respects but for the good safety and wel being of the people their Trusters or Impowrers by whom they may and ought to be called to an account if they should neglect to performe their duty For if in things civill the Parliament have an unlimited power why complain you of the Executions done in Queen Maries dayes by a Parliamentarie power with the consent of your Reverend Fathers the Prelates As also in Queen Elizabeths dayes upon Barrow Greenwood and Penrie who were hanged for professing against the Common Prayer book which now you practice the case being altered neither are we ignorant of the turnings changings and unchangeings of you Priests as in Henry the eights dayes Papists in Edward the 6. Protestants in Queen Maries Papists in Queen Elizabeths Protestants in K. James and K. Charles his dayes for the Bishops and Episcopal Government Now for the Presbyterian a greater Benefice being a loadstone sufficient to carrie the greater part of you after it like some Lawyers that looks more at the greatnesse of th● Fee then the goodnesse of the cause nay being Feed leaves his Client and turns on the other side I would there were none such fate in the House of Commons Secondly For Religion they receive no authority or charge from God he having given that power and prerogative onely to his Sonne King Jesus they being Masters of the flesh only but God the Father of Spirits and therefore ●is worship being spirituall he requires only voluntary spirituall worshippers to worship him as John 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth c. For the many Oaths Protestations and Covenants you speak of I feare as Jeremiah saith For these the Land mourneth for it had been good if they had been fully debated concerning the lawfulnesse of them before they had been with such violence forced upon the Nation although now you desire not to have them kept for if not lawfull by the word of God they are of no more force then theirs that had bound themselves with an Oath neither to eate nor drink till they had killed Paul Acts 23. 12. And whereas you object against the Ambiguity or darknesse in that it is said it is intended that Christian Religion should be held forth as the publick profession of this Nation yet doth not declare what that Christian Religion is And can you object this Have you forgot the Protestation Covenant Vowes League and Covenant you engaged this Nation in for the Protestant Religion yet never did declare what that Protestant Religion was you intended and so much spake of And whereas you alledge that all Sects and Errors in the Church of Christ nay take the Church of Antichrist to it since the Apostles dayes do all lay claime to Christian Religion and may by this Agreement plead at least stand as Probationers for the priviledge of publick profession I wonder else how could you all this while come in for a share and are you not herein as those of whom the Apostle saith Yee professe that ye know God yet in works you deny him c. Titus 1. 16. And whereas you seem to take offence that only the Popish and Prelaticall are left out I shall desire to include them also otherwise I nor you nor they can obey Christs commands Mat. 7. 12. and Luke 6. 31. to wit to doe to all men as we would they should doe unto us In the next place I joy that you desire that God would increase that care in you and others to have Religion reformed to the greatest puritie in doctrine worship and Discipline according to the word of God and for instructing people in a publick way And for the confutation of Heresie and Errour c. How can this be done and not liberty of conscience granted I hope then the truth will not be confined as it hitherto hath been by you within the Lips only of the Tribe of Levi as you call them But that others shall have liberty to speak either to add unto or contradict if erroneous To the second branch where sound doctrine and a good conversation shall be the only meanes to winne upon the contrary minded