Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	bishop_n	england_n	king_n	11,097	5	3.7389	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B08842	A briefe description by way of supposition holding forth to the Parliament and such as have but common reason, wherein a true Common-Wealth consisteth as also the grand enemies of this Common-Wealth plainly discovered.	Cotton, Priscilla, Mrs.; England and Wales. Parliament.	1659 (1659)	Wing C6473B; ESTC R174284	3,821	8

A Briefe Description by way of supposition holding forth to the Parliament and such as have but common reason wherein a true Common-wealth consisteth as also the grand enemies of this Common-wealth plainly discovered SUppose that ten or twelve sorts of people being of severall opinions are all together willing to inhabit a fruitfull Island yet before they resolve to plant or build they judge it necessary to have one of the wisest of them to be their Magistrate or chiefe overseer with so many servants as the time requires not only to keep the people in order but also to be in a posture of defence against all enemies whatsoever maintaining the same for their service to the Common-wealth out of the Common stocke After this all persons that are of one and the same opinion are gathering themselves as members belonging to one body together making up when they are seperated the number of ten or twelve different Congregations every one providing maintenance for his own Ministers and the Magistrate standing unmovable as a center between them all to keep the ballance in the Government that one sect may not domineer over the other If he to wit the Magistrate joyne himselfe as a member to one particular Congregation he hath his liberty to honour the same with his presence with his tongue with his pen and with his own money but not with the sword or money of the Common-wealth for he is in regard of his Office to be considered not as a perticular but as a generall person standing for the good of all just as it is with a Treasurer who is intrusted with a summe of money to imploy the same not for his own or any ones private advantage in particular but for the benefit of all those that have intrusted him This now when there are made Hospitalls for the poor work-houses for the idle and evill persons as also generall meeting places for the dispelling of errors is a true and perfect Common-wealth without calling the Ministers of one particular sect nationall Ministers Till Sathan appearing in his servants as an Angell of light doth bewitch and overcome the Magistrate which commonly happens in this following manner The Ministers of every sect having their own meetings among themselves are labouring and striving some to a good and others to an evill end to bring the greatest number of persons under their jurisdiction the evill minded loosing their customers and so their maintenance by the encrease of others the truth having most power are consulting together in what manner to gaine the Favour and Assistance of the Magistrate Appearing before him with flattering addresses and fair pretences calling him the most noble most excellent and most serene c. Telling him that they have a great inclination and desire to his continuance in the government Thus having made their first entrance they proceed and goe on to complish their design insinuating him that there is a certain sort of people under his government that very much increase being as they call it of dangerous principles because they are opposite to them warning him with great earnestnesse to take speciall notice of them with this conclusion if he doe not suppresse them to hinder their increase that he is in danger to loose his government The Magistrate not perceiving that the old Serpent is hidden under these fair pretences nor discerning the wolves in sheeps cloathing is moved and resolved to reward them for all their pretended care and kindnesse manifested to him allowing them maintenance not of his own but of the Common-wealths money which belongeth not to him much lesse to them they then being made partakers of the money unjustly taken of the Common-wealth are in feare that the honest people of the other Congregations perceiving these contrivings will discover their wickednesse and deceit Whereupon they presently resolve to extoll the Magistrate in the publique meeting places calling him a very good and religious Magistrate because he is good to them the Common people seeing the great union and familiarity between the Magistrate and those Ministers are commonly inclined to fall in with their affections where the magistrate is affected because they seek favour and offices by him wherein the Ministers are very serviceable to advance their own Disciples before others in the government that so their kingdome their children being brought up to the same trade may stand upon a more sure foundation then heretofore giving out by the mouth of their followers that the interest of the Magistrate lyeth in them the Magistrate perceiving that not only many of his Officers but also the generallity of the Common-people agree with those Ministers is easily perswaded to beleeve that his interest lyeth in them being now afraid to displease those cunning sophisters who by their subtilty have brought him by degrees under their own power being no more as heretofore a servant of the Common-wealth but a servant of one particular sect which are preparing his heart for persecution by slandring and branding as hereticks and blasphemers those that differ from them in opinion to render them odious in the sight of the Magistrate perswading him to abuse the Sword and power of the Common-wealth by the persecution of such as in matters of religion live according to their own light and understanding blamelesse and without offence till the long suffering of God towards that hypocriticall generation is come to an end as wofull experience hath made manifest here in England in the bringing down of the King and Bishops what will become of the little-little-Bishops and of them that strengthen their hands by forcing the people to give tythes to them the Lord knowes the Whore and her Daughters have made drunk the kings and Rulers of the earth with their cup of fornication yet I hope that once the sword of justice shall cut off the coard wherewith the Ministers and Magistrates are tyed that so all sects in these Nations being brought to the enjoyment of equall priviledges the great worke of God which hath been obstructed may be carried on againe in more truth and power then before to the convincing of all Antichristian dominions and especially New-England where the Magistrates being deceived by the Clergy are become the greatest persecutors of all those that professe themselves to be of the reformed protestant religion prescribing and imposing of their own rules and formes upon the people for their own ends inflicting punishment upon such whose consciences cannot indure to pay tythes or taxes to hold up their enemies in spirituall matters against themselves this now being unreasonable and contrary to cristianity then equity requires that that law whereby the people are forced to pay tythes to Ministers ought without delay to be abolished for we have no reason to expect a peacable Government whilest the Magistrate as Magistrate continues to favour with the sword or money of the Common-wealth any sect or person in particuler being the chiefe cause not only of partiality and strife

in cities and countryes but also oftentimes of warre and horrible blood-sheddings which will certainly be revenged in this life or in the life to come upon such as have not prevented these mischiefes according to the power and opportunity which was left or given in their hands 1. Leave the ministers to be provided for by their own people that imploy them and if by this means any that are now ministers shall become destitude let some course be taken to supply them during the time of their lives but no incouragement for any others in time to come to make a trade or merchandize of the things of God 2. Expell out of the Schooles called Universities the humane formes of religion that they may be Universities indeed 3. Erect Schools of learning in all Cityes and market Towns or other convenient places throughout these nations to instruct every one as wel poor as rich that have a desire to learn Arts and Sciences to answer the ends of nature for the Common good for in spiritual matters the revealed will of God is only our rule 4. If it were the magistrates work to set up nationall ministers according to their own understanding then we should be in danger to have as many religions as there be severall wayes of Government in the world and the magistrates changing their opinion the whole national ministry must also as often be changed whereby it comes to passe that the peoples fear towards God is taught by the precepts of men which makes their worship in vain and destroyeth as much as in them lyeth their soules 5. If you accept of any form besides the holy Scripture set up a national ministry according to that form then will that shamefull reproach remain that the magistrates and ministers in England have brought down the King and Bishops rather to succeed in their places then to bring the people to liberty and happinesse for the Lord alone will prescribe both Lawes and Rules for his people to walke in and the magistrates are to incourage and preserve them in all countryes against evil doers 6. Make a true distinction between England and all Antichristian Dominions by bringing the holy Scripture in the publick meeting places instead of the Popes Luthers Calvins or other doctrins upon the Throne that so Christ alone may be exalted giving liberty after the reading of the same to every one in an orderly way to declare his own mind and understanding even as it was among the Jewes Acts 13. excluding only such who are not willing to stay their turne till they are better disposed without oppressing them by imprisonment or otherwise continually observing that no preheminence or sole priviledge be granted to any of offering any thing or of speaking first that so every one being at liberty and unhindred may bring forth that which is most conducing to the Common welfare all of them fitting still in silence so long afte● the reading of the Scripture till any one think it fit in his judicious humble mind to propose somwhat for mutual edification endeavouring withall to make his discourse short that another may have his time likewise contrary to the custome of the common Teachers who only or solely speaking doe lengthen their discourse to the wearinesse of their auditory for which end the moderators who ought to be meek and understanding men are to observe that there be due order kept And for as much as the Lord hath eminently appeared in these Nations to make the people instrumentall for a general work sounding an alarm to the nations about it that the powers of the earth that presume to give edicts in matters of religion and thereby making themselves as a beast for the whore to Ride upon c. must fall in the day when God begins to arise to redeem his people from all Antichristian powers therefore it is good for magistrates never to set up or meddle with any particular form or ministery composed and ordained by the will and power of men leaving that worke only to the Lord protecting all such in peace and safety whom God shall raise up to doe his mighty work By P.C. V.Z. FINIS