Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	according_a	church_n	doctrine_n	4,717	5	6.8021	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49413	Christian liberty not to be abused, or, Antient and primitive truth correcting some modern, or new abuses, of that which is so much pleaded for, and so little understood, viz. Christian liberty in a sermon preached in the church of Bridport within the county of Dorset, on Sunday the forenoon, being November 3. 1672 ... / by Rich. Luce ...	Luce, Richard, Presbyter of the Church of England.	1673 (1673)	Wing L3423A; ESTC R5778	16,643	38

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY Not to be ABUSED OR Antient and Primitive Truth Correcting some Modern or New Abuses of that which is so much Pleaded for and so little Understood viz. Christian Liberty IN A SERMON Preached in the Church of Bridport within the County of Dorset on Sunday the Forenoon being November 3. 1672. before the Magistrates of that Burrough By Rich. Luce a Presbyter of the Church of England by Law Established London Printed for Rowland Reynolds at the Sun and Bible in the Poultry 1673. To the Reverend and his much honoured Friend and Neighbour Mr. Nathaniel Godwyn Rector of Bridport Reverend Sir YOur benevolent Admission of me to Preach in your Church to gratifie my good Friend Mr. George Spencer one of the present Bayliffs of your Town hath put me upon a little more Labour then I expected Yet I do not so much lay the blame upon your Admission which I pronounce free from blame as upon the over-imprudence of some whose Tongues being liquoured with the Oyle of Confidence have charged me with Rayling against the Kings Churches in my Sermon An odious Contumely indeed What! for a son of the Church of England to revile the Gods and speak evil of the Ruler of his People To fault the Edicts of his Soveraigne The Father of his Countrey And in a word the the nursing Father of this Church Sir now I declare unto you plainely whom I am bound notwithstanding to honour as a Father that you are highly concern'd Concern'd indeed that you would let me pass unchastised for profaning your Pulpit by so rude a Declamation wherein as is reported I was so unpardonably faulty But Sir seeing it is the usual practise of those who neither understand their duty to God or the King to abuse and traduce with all malice imaginable those who hinder the building of their Babel I am resolved in steed of any other Apology to expose my Sermon to your own judicious Examination And lest you should be thought to be over partial to your friend I know not what you can doe less then bring the Authour and his Sermon to a fair Trial. So without any more wordes when you have perused the Sermon which was preached before your self If you think it worth the Publication you may doe as you think fit with it and in order thereunto you may Command Chediock Nov. 18. 1672. Your most affectionate Friend and Fellow-labourer in the service of God King and Church Richard Luce. To the Worshipful and Loyal Bayliffs and Magistrates of the Borrough of Bridport in the County of Dorset Salvation in Christ Gentlemen I Here present that Sermon unto your eyes which was Preached unto your Ears in your Parish Church on the 3d. of this instant November I might have saved my self and you that labour had not some Tongues charged me with railing at the Kings Church for some so are pleased to call their New Erected Congregations in Contradistinction to the Church of England Established by the known Laws of this famous Kingdome Sirs If I have spoken amiss in any part or parcel of the ensuing discourse bear witness against me but if I have discharged my Conscience so far as became a Loyal Subject to his Majesty and an obedient Son of the Church of England no way Thwarting his Majesties Declaration in indulging his loving Subjects and wherein Himself hath declared his express Resolution Meaning and Intention to be That the Church of England be preserved and remain entire in its Doctrine Discipline and Government as now it stands Established by Law And this be taken to be as it is the Basis Rule and Standard of the general and publick worship c. You will be pleased to take this my humble Prostration of this ensuing Sermon as a sincere acknowledgment of my Obedience to his Majesty and all that are put in Authority under him both in Church and State and as a pledg of my hearty love to the publick Peace as well as to your selves whom with all that call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity I commend to your gracious direction and protection of Almighty God in whom I Rest Chediock November the 18th 1672. Your most affectionate Friend and Servant R. Luce. CHRISTIAN LIBERTY Not to be ABUSED 1 Pet. 2.16 As free and not using your or as the Original imports not having the Liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness but as the Servants of God HE that goeth about to Perswade a Multitude saith the most renowned and judicious Hooker that they are not so well Governed as they ought to be Mr. Richard Hooker lib. 1. Eccles Polit. pag. 1. shall never want attentive and favourable Hearers Which comes to pass as that learned and godly Divine observed because they know the manifold defects whereunto every kind of Regiment is subject whiles yet they have not the Judgment to consider the secret Letts and Impediments or Difficulties which in publick proceedings are innumerable and inevitable And because as he adds such as reprove supposed disorders of state are taken for principal friends to the common benefit of all and for men that carry a singular freedome of mind under this plausible pretext whatsoever they utter passeth for good and currant That which wanteth in the waight of their speech is supplyed by the aptness of mens minds to accept and believe it whereas on the other side if we maintain things that are established we have not only to strive with a number of heavy prejudices rooted in the hearts of men who think that herein we serve the Time and speak in favour of the present State for our own advantages but also to bear such exceptions as minds so prepossessed with prejudice usually take against that which they are loath should be poured into them However it may happen to my self at this time in such a Chrysis of distempered humours in the minds both of the Masculine and Faeminine Gender I shall not be curiously inquisitive Though I durst not stand in Corahs Tents nor with his Rebellious Associates affront Moses and Aaron the King and the Priest Prince and Prelate with Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy And though I presume not in the least to Cavil against Acts of Parliament nor Edicts of Council-Table nor rudely to declaim against my Superiours or their sanctions to vent crude Politicks and impose them upon the Weak and Credulous Yet as the case stands you cannot take it amiss at his hands who hath very much Charity for your Souls if whiles he bespeaks you as Christs Free-men yet admonisheth you in the Language not of himself but of the Holy Ghost by blessed St. Peter in my Text as free and not using or not having the liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness but as the Servants of God If you look back into the precedent part of this Epistle you will find the Apostle setting forth the Priviledges and Dignity of our high and Heavenly

the Cross of Christ But if in nothing else I may prevail with those who do dissent from us yet let them be perswaded whiles they have a Liberty not to use it or rather not to abuse it as a Cloak of Malitiousness Treason or Rebellion nor to Maintain any lewed Principles nor to set on foot any Malignant Practises against God or the King Church or State Friends or Foes But rather as becometh good Christians so let them demean themselves in all Places and upon all occasions and amongst all Companies as the Servants of God As free and not using or not having the Liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness but as the Servants of God I know you expect somwhat to be said unto Persons in Authority by way of Advice but I have not had time to tumble over a Concordance according to the new mode of those who are hugely affected with the long-winded Cant. howbeit I shall not refuse to commend unto you two or three very pertinent places of Scripture to the purpose of your expectation The first shall be that in Exod. 18.21 which contains Jothro's Counsel unto Moses which sheweth you that you must endeavour to approve your selves able men such as fear God men of truth hating Covetousness The second shall be that of David 2 Sam. 23.3 He that Ruleth over men must be Just Ruling in the fear of God Remember you bear not the Sword in vain Rom. 13.4 The Magistrate is Custos utriusque tabulae the Keeper of the two Tables of the Ten Commandments and however your Sword may not reach all causes yet so far as lyeth in your power let not disorderly living pass without such punishments as are confistent with Christian Charity You need not that much more should be said by me at this instant the Laws of God and the known Laws of the Land and the Constitutions of your own Society must direct you when this discourse of mine may be forgotten Let your own good example in frequenting the house of God together with your own Families according to the Order of the Church of England by Law establisht and your own Grave unblameable and discreet deportment put a blank upon dissenters And if the Rabble will needs cast scorn upon the Wisdome of God shining forth upon you in the Ministry of your Lawful Pastor Ordain'd and Constituted amongst you in due form and order of Law according to the known Laws of this Realm and the Canons and Constitutions of the Church of England piously and wholsomely made and provided It is your part and duty in especial manner to support and countenance him against all affronts and indignities which a factious and head-strong a Slanderous and Scandalizing Generation may cast upon him And for you that are sub potestate Constituti under the command of Authority I shall give you that same wholsome advise which follows immediately after the words of my Text Honour all men Love the Brother-hood Fear God Honour the King On which words I shall make no other Paraphrase than what the Church of England hath made to my hand in her most excellent and plain Catechism You shall next to the performance of your Duty towards God in believving in him Fearing him Loving him above all Worshipping him giving him Thanks putting your whole Trust in him Calling upon him Honouring his Holy Name and his Word and serving him truly all the days of your lives You shall I say next to the performance of your duty in this manner towards God not forget your duty towards your Neighbour that is to say You shall love your Neighbour as your self and do unto all men as thou would'st he should do unto thee Thou shalt Love Honour and Succour thy Father and Mother Thou shalt Honour and Obey the King and all that are put in Authority under him Thou shalt submit thy self to all thy Governours Teachers Spiritual Pastors and Masters Thou shalt order thy self Lowly and Reverently to all thy Betters Thou shalt hurt no body by Word nor Deed. Thou shalt be True and Just in all thy dealings Thou shalt bear no Malice nor Hatred in thy heart Thou shalt keep thy Hands from picking and stealing and thy Tongue from Evil-speaking Lying and Slandering Thou shalt keep thy Body in temperance Soberness and Chastity Thou shalt not Covet nor desire other mens Goods but shalt learn and labour truly to get thine own Living and to do thy Duty in that state of Life unto which it hath pleased God to call thee This is pure Religion and Undefiled before God and the Father indeed Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same Rom. 13.3 For as St. Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.13 Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good I beseech you Consider what is spoken and the Lord give you understanding in all things necessary in order to the Attainment of Everlasting Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost Three Persons and but One God be ascribed and rendered as of all due belongeth all Honour and Glory Praise Power Might Majesty Thanksgiving Dominion and Obedience both of us and of every Creature both now and for ever more Amen FINIS