Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A23647
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Insulae fortunatae A discourse shewing the happiness of these nations under our present governours & government, or, How they may be happy if they will themselves : delivered for substance in a sermon on a late solemn day appointed by authority for imploring the blessing of God upon his Majesty and the present Parliament / by R.A., pastor of the church at Henfield.
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R. A. (Richard Allen)
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1675
(1675)
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Wing A1044; ESTC R5033
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9,715
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26
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Service of God is and may be rightly called his House The Temple at Jerusalem was burnt with Fire by the Chaldees restored again by the Kings of Persia Cyrus laid the Foundation Darius finisht the Building Artaxerxes furnisht the House with all Necessaries for the Service of God for he sent Ezra the Scribe with Presents of Gold and Silver to buy Meat-Offerings and Drink-Offerings Bullocks Rams and Lambs to offer upon the Altar of the House of God as the God of Heaven had Commanded And thus he Beautified the House of God At the same time the Jews were restored to the enjoyment of many Temporal Blessings and sweet comforts in their own Country a Land flowing with Milk and Honey But Ezra passeth by all these as of small value in comparison and blesseth God for restoring his Holy Worship and Service in his own House at Jerusalem Obs 1. That true Religion the pure Worship and Service of God is the fairest Beauty of Gods House Faithful Pastors and Godly People the richest Ornaments Obs 2. That of all Blessings under Heaven the Truth of Religion the Purity of Gods Worship and the enjoyment of them in his Ordinances is the chiefest choicest and most precious It is as the Ark of God to Israel and to the House of Obed-Edom the glory riches and strength of a Nation As the Temple was then Ezek. 24.21 such is now the House of God beautified with the truth of Religion and purity of Divine Worship It is the Excellency of our Strength the main Bulwark of our Peace and Safety the surest Ground or Foundation of all true Happiness National or Personal Our Saxon Ancestors in their Witten-Gemotts used in the first place to consult about Affairs of the Church and Matters of Religion and when those things were well setled then followed Affairs of the Commonwealth Our Pious Ancestors rightly conceiving that Religion was the principal and most precious and that if Gods Business were done first their own would thrive the better according to that of our Saviour Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added There is no loss of time in seeking Gods Kingdom first Now it cannot be denied but that this Nation hath received of God by the hands of our Gracious Soveraign many rich Mercies which call aloud for returns of Thankfulness unto God of Love and Loyalty to our Soveraign but instead hereof we hear unthankful murmures and complaints The World was ever given to it and we can expect no other of men who never know when they are well But we have as much cause to bless God for our Good King as ever Ezra had for the Great King To stop the mouths then of such querulous people that are never content I shall endeavour to shew you how much we are bound to return all Loyalty Love and Obedience to our Pious Soveraign with due Honour and Respect to our Religious Parliament for all the good they have done us enough to make us an happy People if we will our selves First It is not so long since but that we may remember when we were under the Conduct of Blind Guides who knew not what they did nor whither they were roaving for they were in the Dark themselves witness their own confession in the Armies Remonstrance and led us into such a miserable Confusion that none but our Soveraign did or could save us from utter Desolation and had it not been for his great Prudence and Moderation we might have been in as bad a condition again Secondly His Majesty was no sooner returned to the exercise of his Royal Authority but his first care was for the House of God to cast out the Filth and Rubbish and to prepare a people for the service of God In his Proclamation May 30. 1660. against Impiety and Licentiousness Drunkenness Swearing Railing at good things c. against Vicious Debauched and Prophane people who in in truth saith his Majesty have discredited my Cause and are a discredit to any Cause they pretend to favour Nothing so much polluteth the House of God nothing such a shame and scandal to our Church and Religion as the vicious Lives and lewd Conversation of too many that pretend to hold Communion with us Thirdly His Majesties next care for the House of God was in his Proclamation Aug. 20. 1663. for better Sanctifying or keeping Holy the Lords Day that his Holy Service might be more frequented and his House filled with the Incense of Prayers and the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for all his Mercies The Lords Work must be done on the Lords Day or else it is not his Day but ours Fourthly His Majesty took care of Beautifying the House of God in his Order for Augmentation of small Benefices for the encouragement of Faithful Pastors to adorn the House of God with sound Doctrine and their Doctrine with Holy Life A worthy Member of Parliament Sir B. R. once told the House that Scandalous Livings make Scandalous Ministers both in Life and Doctrine Fifthly His Majesties special care for the House of God appeared in his Gracious Condescentions to the Honourable Parliament His Majesties Invitations of that Great Assembly to prepare Laws against the Growth of Popery and to prepare more severe Laws against Impiety and Licentiousness are a sure Evidence of his Pious Resolution to maintain the true Protestant Religion Piety and Vertue And their Return of Thankfulness to his Majesty for those Solemn Endearing Invitations and their making such good Laws for securing our Religion Peace and Safety whereto also the Royal Assent gave Life and Being give assurance of their Faithfulness Piety and Zeal for the Glory of God and good of their Country Blessed be God for this sweet Union and let all the people say Amen The Kings and Parliaments of England from time to time have always kept the Papal Power at Staves-end K. Henry 8. shook it quite off K. Edward 6. restored the true Protestant Religion that had been under Restraint It was not called by that Name till the Assembly at Spires but yet that Religion that Protestants profess was taught by Christ and his holy Apostles and hath continued to this day The Famous Qu. Elizabeth maintained the same against all opposition and raised a Fort-Royal out of Holy Scripture in our 39. Articles against the future Invasion of Heresie Idolatry and Superstition The Noble K. James with his Learned Pen gave the Adversary such a Deadly Wound that can never be healed Our late Dear Soveraign like a Glorious Martyr laid down his precious Life n defence of the true Protestant Religion and our Dread Soveraign that now is like a Royal Confesfor made open and constant Profession of it in the midst of strong Temptations to the contrary And now our Pious Soveraign insisting in the steps of those glorious Princes his most Noble Progenitors hath done like a Tender Father of his Country and the Honourable Parliament like