Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	ruin_n	supplication_n	time_n	38	3	2.1033	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79930	The cleere sense: or, A just vindication of the late ordinance of Parliament; forbidding persons not ordained, or not allowed of, as intending the ministry, to preach, from such malignant interpretations as some ill-affected labour to fasten on it, therby to authorize their opposition against those other most warrantable duties of expounding scriptures, mutuall edification, &c. which the scriptures do require of every Christian within his own sphear and relations. Which may also serve for an usefull caution to those gentlemen of the magistracy, souldiery & committees in the severall towns, garrisons, places of strength, cities, counties, througout the kingdome, to whom the said ordinance is respectively recommended by both Houses of Parliament. Published according to order.	England and Wales. Parliament.	1645 (1645)	Wing C4621; Thomason E282_9; ESTC R200047	8,527	15

and groan under such discour agements as are very unsuitable to a time of Reformation is likewese left to all wise men to consider of Thus much for the persons in the Ordinance forbidden to preach Next let us expend the word Preach which in the common and vulgar acception is the naming of a verse or two of Scripture for a Text and spending of an hour or more upon it by opening of the words dividing them into parts raising Doctrines framing Reasons and Vses in the same form and manner as is ordinarily used in Pulpits this properly seemes to be that which is forbidden to persons not ordain'd in some reformed Church and not intending the Ministry But yet it followes not that first persons not ordain'd in any reformed Church or not intending the Ministery may not reade the Scriptures and expound them as well as they are able for the benefit of them that belong unto their charge as suppose a Master to his Family a Captain to his Company a Collonel to his Regiment a Generall to his Army a King to his People if he hath the grace to do it Secondly it followes not that such persons or any other of Gods people are hereby forbidden upon any just occasion to meet together for prayer or mutuall edification in way of conference or consulting the holy Scriptures whether it be for exhortation instruction and counsell or for brotherly admonition and reproof or any other Christian duty in what kind soever provided that they do it at such seasons as hinders not the publique preaching and in such a manner as disturbs not the publike peace That the hindrance of the duties contain'd under these two last heads cannot possibly be meant by the forbidding of persons not ordain'd or not intending the Ministry to preach not only appeares from the plain and grammaticall construction of the Ordinance but also from the incongruity of fixing so ill a sense with that intention of a Reformation which both Houses of Parliament have declared and indeed how can it rationally be imagined from any expression in the Ordinance that any such thing should be aim'd at by them Is it not the blackest the foulest aspersion that can be cast into the face of our Reforming Parliament especially the considerations following being well weighed For first to forbid men the use and improvement of their Talents every one in his proper sphear according to rule and order is it not a direct contradiction of pregnant and apparent Scriptures both testimonies and examples are not wanting did not Moses and Joshua and Gideon and David with many others in the sacred story not only incourage but exhort their souldiers and that in those words and expressions which are now become no lesse then parts of those very Scriptures which in all things are the most adequate and compleat rule both of faith and practice Exod. 17.11 12. Exod. 32.19.26 27 29 30 Numb 10.35 36. Josh 1.10.16 Josh 4.21.24 Judg. 7.15 1 Sam. 16. from 26. to 47. Did not the Patriarchs and holy men of old instruct their Families kindred and acquaintance and teach them out of the Law Gen. 18.19 Gen. 49.2 Judg. 24.15 Prov. 31.1 to 10. yea and were they not commanded so to do and that under grievous punishments Deut. 4.10 Deut. 6.6 c. Deut. 11.19 And those that did accordingly are they not commended and blest for it upon record to all ages by the Holy Ghost himself Gen. 18.19 1 Chron. 13.14 And this not only in the old Testament but in the new in which are not Christians frequently exhorted to assemble together not only for prayer and other acts of worship and devotion as well upon extraordinary occasions as ordinary but also for mutuall edification and building up each other in their most holy faith Ephes 6.4 Ephes 4.29 1 Thes 5.11 Heb. 1.13 Heb. 10.24 25. John 2.4 Jud. 20. Now such known duties as these having been so commonly and constantly received and practised and that in all ages throughout all Reformed Churches yea and so abundantly authoriz'd in Scripture shall any man dare to think that the Parliament in this or any other Ordinance would goe about in the least measure to discourage much lesse oppose them 'T is malignity and disaffection towards that most great and honourable Counsel of the Kingdom by mis-interpreting of their actions to seek an occasion of entertaining so dangerous and bad a thought of them No no the Parliament of England which intends and laboure for a Reformation according to the Word of God and which every day fits under such powerfull and heavenly Doctrine from the eminent Preachers of it cannot rationally be suppos'd not to abhorre and abominate the contrivement of so great an evill Secondly as the above mentioned mis-interpretation of the Ordinance would be a direct contradiction to apparent Scriptures so likewise to many Votes Orders Ordinances Protestations formerly passed through both Houses yea and most of all to the Solemne League and Covenant between the Kingdomes wherein every one lifteth up his hand to the most High God in manner following In the Prologue or Preamble of the Solemne League and Covenant thus WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland by the providence of God living under one King and being of one reform'd Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and calling to mind the treacherous and bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practices of the enemies of God against the true Religion and Professors thereof in all ages and how much the rage power and presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of Ireland the distressed estate of England and the dangerous estate of Scotland are present publike testimonies We have now at last after other meanes of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practice of these kingdomes in former times and the example of Gods people in other nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall and solemne League and Covenant where in we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our Hands lifted up to the most High God do swear In the first Clause of the solemn League and Covenant Thus That wee shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God endeavour in our severall places and callings the reformation of Religion according to the Word of God that we and our posterity after us may live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us In the second Clause of the solemn League Covenant Thus That wee shall in like manner with out respect of persons endevour the extirpation of Popery Prelacie Heresie Schisme Prophaneness