Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
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A42567
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The Presbyterian bramble, or, A short discourse of church government by L.G.
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L. G.
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1661
(1661)
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Wing G45; ESTC R40984
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7,208
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14
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ought to have done and We have done those things which we ought not to have done It was Moses his Plea unto God when he was to be sent into Aegypt I am not eloquent perhaps he foresaw the perverseness of the men of this age who thought him not eloquent enough to speak in their Congregation Yet when the ruler demanded of Jesus What he should do to inherit eternal life He replyed Thou knowest the Commandements c. In the twelfth chapter of the book of the Revelation we read of a Woman cloathed with the Sun having the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars This Woman is the Church of God the Sun is the Sun of Righteousness the Moon is this unconstant World the crown of twelve stars is the doctrine of the Apostles The Symbolum Apostolicum is very true believers Diadem but it is no wonder that that hand which robb'd the King of his Crown should also deprive the Church of hers I confess I am loth to use such tart expressions but I hope I may without offence defend the truth with such blowes as others give who fight against it I do remember that in the heat of these late wars There was published a seditious Libel called The simple Cobler c. wherein amongst other Conumdrums there was a Phanatical I should have said prophetical distich Viz. There are a set of Bishops coming next behind That will ride the Divell off his legs and break his wind Indeed such ugly words cannot deserve a comment yet we may correct an erratum for Bishops read Presbyterians All the Kingdom knowes that they were the rank riders But how has the foul fiend played the Hobgobblin with them how do they now tumble in the mire who lately sate in the saddle poor Hugh Peters fell so that his neck was broken others are crippled both in their Estates and opinions and they may have all time to spend that under the Divels belly which they got upon his back But how the Divel should become broken-winded I know not unless it was done when O. C. rode post into another World But stay my over hasty pen I fear I have writ something that will not suit with the genius of sober men The naked truth needs no such antick dress Divinity and Drollery are an unlawfull mixture And therefore it becomes me to beg pardon of the impartial reader and withall to signifie that by the vvord Presbyterian I do not mean all that are so called far be it from me to go about to stain the reputation of any Godly and Learned Ministers as Baxter Calamy and others whose piety and pains in the Church of God have deserved the praise of all good men bâ—ne vir hoc nihil ad te But as for those seditious spirits that were Incendiaries in the old rebellion and would novv begin a nevv that take upon them the name Presbyterian only to fight against Praelacy for so the builders of Babel vvere confounded in their language Indeed the vvord Presbyter had at first a good signification as Tyrant Magick and other vvords vvhich through the corruption of Men have lost their old Etymology Tyrant anciently did signifie a King but novv it signifies an Oliver Magick formerly signified Philosophy but novv it is taken for Witch-craft and the name Presbyter vvas once an Elder but now it is used for a Scotch Rebell or an English Traitour It is observed that once a great fashion in this Nation vvas to vvear yellovv starched Ruffes But after one Mrs. Turner a notorious Witch and strumpet vvas hanged vvith one of them about her neck the mode became odious and vvas quite left off Truly Reader I think it is high time for us to lay aside the name Presbyterian vvhich is nothing but a starched piece of Austority because Hugh Peters vvho poysoned more with his doctrine then Mrs. Turner with her potions wore it as a livery when he went to the gallowes I think it is high time for England to begin to be sober and every man to bring his heart as a stone to the spiritual building of the Church of Christ without repentance and self-denyal the stones cannot be hewn and made fit for the Fabrick without faith they cannot be built up without love they cannot be joyned and cemented without decency order and Government there will still be a confusion and not one stone left upon another For this end there is a necessity of Episcopacy experience hath taught us the inconvenience of Presbytery For though I dare not call them the sons of perdition I may confidently say they are the fathers of Confusion It is reported of a Grave Senator of the Rump Parliament that He sat many years in the house and yet like Balaams Asse he never spake but once and when he spake his words were these Mr. Speaker I conceive it is necessary that we cause the window to be shut Doubtlesse these words could not gain his worship the reputation of an Oratour but had the Parliament been then consulting about Church Government his advice had been then as excellent as it is now ridiculous that is to cause that window to be shut by a wholesome Law that had been too long held open by toleration of Opinions and Liberty of Conscience I shall conclude with the words of a famous Divine which were part of his last prayer Lord strike through the reins of those who rise up against the Church and King make them as chaff before the wind and as stubble before the fire but upon himself and his seed let his Crown flourish Wharton WHat changelings where the Presbyterian crew That pull'd old crosses down to build up new That durst adventure on such dangerous shelves As to unsaint th' Evangelists themselves And left us not a Festival beside What they had called and had sanctifi'd But heav'ns are just for lo they 're forc'd to bow The Synods down and stinking Elders too Only they bark at moonshine now and then To shew that they are Dogs rather then Men. The Authors Eccho THen down with 'um let them no longer stand Base caterpillers that consum'd the land That rent the common-common-prayer book and lawn sleeves And made the house of God a Den of thieves O may the sacred Pulpit now be free From such Quacksalvers in Divinitie Let 'um be Pedagogues o th' lashing trade And whip their boyes as C did his Maid Or else return unto there Zealous Tub And their be Chaplains to Don Belzebub FINIS