Selected quad for the lemma: state_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	prince_n	province_n	unite_a	1,142	5	10.0021	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17977	An oration made at the Hage, before the Prince of Orenge and the assembly of the high and mighty lords, the States Generall of the Vnited Prouinces: by the reuerend father in God, the Lord Bishop of Landaff, one of the commissioners sent by the Kings most excellent Maiesty to the Synod of Dort.	Carleton, George, 1559-1628.	1619 (1619)	STC 4638; ESTC S118532	3,473	13

AN ORATION MADE AT THE HAGE BEFORE THE Prince of ORENGE and the Assembly of the High and Mighty Lords the STATES Generall of the Vnited Prouinces By the Reuerend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Landaff one of the Commissioners sent by the Kings most Excellent Maiesty to the Synod of Dort LONDON Printed by G. P. for Ralph Rounthwait and are to sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Flower-deluce and Crowne 1619. MOST ILLVSTRIOVS and Noble Lords MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE OVR Lord and King IESVS CHRIST when hee was now about to go vnto his Father and desirous to leaue vnto those whom he loued some excellent benefit a benefit then which the earth cannot yeeld a greater hee left them Peace Peace at his death as a Legacy he bequeathed them My Peace saith he I leaue vnto you my Peace I giue vnto you for neither could men wish from heauen a greater blessing neither could the Angels declare vnto men from heauen a more welcome message then Glory in heauen and Peace in earth This Bond by which heauen vnto earth and earth vnto heauen reciprocally is vnited hath so straitly bound the heart of the Kings Maiesty of great Brittaine that according to the exceeding care which he hath euermore had of the safe-guard and defence of true Religion of settling Peace and Concord amongst Christian Princes throughout the world but especially Most Illustrious Noble and Magnificent Lords of procuring the good and tranquillity of this your State to which he acknowledges his Kingdom to bee linkt by the Tye of an ancienter and straiter League Hee hath sent vs hither with this especiall charge that as much as in vs lyes we procure your prosperity and your Churches Peace Certainly an exceeding desire of Peace the publique good possest his Princely heart when hee commended vnto your Lordships the care of Religion This his Maiesties prouident care can neuer bee vnwelcome if it may please your Lordships according to your Wisedome and Piety to recount the benefit of the reformed Religion and the blessings of Gods fauour which like showres from heauen haue watered your Prouinces far neere I suppose it cannot be vnknown vnto your Lordships what how much you owe to true Religion Religion it was which from bloud and tempest reduced your State to these flourishing daies of quietnesse and Sun-shine Religion it was which first begate then enlarged and finally established your prosperity Let your Lordships now consider with your selues what you will repay vnto Christ for all these blessings Of your Lordships Christ who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords requires this that for and aboue all his other benefits you preserue the Peace which he bequeathed you The bond of the publique good is Religion and of Religion Peace those therefore who eyther themselues raise dissentions in the Church or cherish such as are raised by others what doe they else intend but the rooting vp of Peace and Religion the banishment of Christ out of your coasts that by iarring of Church-men the edification of the Church may be hindered that the consciences of the multitude be troubled that wauering and vnstable soules be carried about with euery winde of Doctrine that the contempt of the Minister bring with it a contempt of his doctrine till at length these Cockatrice egs bring forth the Basiliske euen open Impiety and Atheisme If the Church-affaires be ill managed all sorts of men the people the Priest yea you your selues shall bee accountable vnto Christ for it In the people he requires obedience in the Priest light truth that is knowledge ioyned with holinesse of life But I know not whether I may impute it eyther to the corruption of this our time or to the sleights of the Deuill trying all his plots and deuices now in this declining age of the world that some are arisen who eyther quite reiecting or at least too much neglecting purity of life a garment which best of all adornes the Priests of God haue altogether diuerted vpon iangling disputes vnprofitable yea pernitious contentions From hence come feruor and emulation and ostentation of Wit meane while the building of the Church is interrupted yea her ruine by vndermining is closely practised by some that lye in wait to betray your happinesse Awaken and stirre vp your selues most Noble Lords establish that Peace in the Church which in the Common-wealth you haue establisht yea that Peace I say which your Lordships by the vigilancy and prowesse of his Excellency peaceably without any noyse and tumult but not without the present assistance of God haue lately attempted and at length accomplisht is to bee entertain'd with the ioyfull applause of all the Churches and to be for euer remembred to your eternall praise and glory The reformed Churches throughout Europe hauing recouered their liberty and shaken off the heauy yoke of Rome to shew themselues more thankefull to Christ their Redeemer haue seuerally set forth confessions of their Faith which though they were many yet they so well agree in one consent and harmony of mindes that we may plainely discouer it was the voyce of one onely Spirit which in so many Nations so many Languages deliuered it selfe In this generall concord of other Nations your consent did beare a part your praises were in the Gospell your authority in the Church much set by But now the neighbor Churches round about enquire question and wonder what it might be which in these confessions your Church alone quarels with Against which none of the rest sincethe reformation haue taken exception Giue me leaue to aske of you in the Apostles words Proceeded the Word of God from you alone or hath it come onely vnto you Other Nations and Prouinces preserue the doctrine of the Gospell which they haue receiued whole and sound without any alteration and change and resolue by Gods helpe heereafter so to continue This is that which his Maiesty commends vnto you euen the vnity and consent of Confession the spring and originall of reformation hee commends vnto you the consent of the Churches hee requires you that what forme of Church you haue receiued from your Fathers you will deliuer ouer to your posterity that what Doctrine now these twenty or thirty yeeres hath beene publikely taught amongst you you preserue in its former purity that you shut vp all gappe and inlette which may euery day giue way to innouation that such treasures of Christ as are committed to your trust you preserue safe without suffering them to bee embased by admixtion of false and counterfeit stuffe Vnto you are committed the Oracles of God keepe your Faith vnspotted and vndefiled vnto God and Christ the Churches King You are seriously to take heed that your Doctors leauing the simplicity of holy Scriptures diuert not vpon abstruse and intricate quirkes that they set not before you smoake in stead of solid meate At least thus much are you carefully to looke to that those who handle the Word of Life abstaine in their Sermons to the people from those deeper speculations which pose the Schooles themselues and our sharpest wits and may with probabilitie on both sides be disputed Lest the Faith of the Church which is stable and immooueable seeme to be ambiguous and doubtfull and Scandall creepe in in place of edifying Your consent in Doctrine with other Churches shall bee a sacrifice of sweet sauor vnto God when one soule of so many people shall cleaue vnto him and it shall bee welcome newes vnto the Churches and Honourable vnto your Lordships when they shall vnderstand that you hold Brotherly fellowship one with another in Christ for God giues not grace and glory to such as walke seuerally euery one in his owne waies but such as meete together in one Communion of Saints Factions part-takings haue wounded the Church on both sides on the right hand and on the left yet these wounds we doubt not are curable if they fall into the hands of a skilfull Physician The true Physicke must bee administred by the hand of your authority as for our labour and industry if it may be any way auaileable to the Churches Peace it shall be euermore ready and at hand Neyther are we ready onely with our labour and care but if it so please GOD in whose hands wee are euen with our dearest bloud to procure the Churches Peace But since the Church which Christ hathredeemed with his bloud according to the example of our Lord himselfe requires not the bloud of her Ministers in peace but in persecution by a peculiar fate if I may so speake of the Church it falls out that men proue stronger vnder the Crosse and in affliction then in times of peace In times of persecution they loue not their liues for Christ in time of peace they sticke not to bandy factions against Christ. O how difficult is the Churches ease what straight conditions is she tied vnto eyther shee suffers persecution with inward peace and ioy of the spirit or she is outwardly at peace with the world but with intestine and ciuill warres The Sonnes of God like little children are most easily disciplined vnder the rod lay the rod by and presently they return to sidings to faction to contentions But all things turne to the best to those that feare God and not onely afflictions but faction and schisme yea errors and heresies themselues GOD who is omnipotent shall turne to the good of his Church that those who are faithfull may be tried and their faith being tried may be made manifest and such as loue the Trueth may not be ashamed to conquer and triumph ouer their owne errors This minde we heartily wish may bee found in our Brethren that those who are alwaies ready to fight vnto the death for that faith which once was giuen to the Saints may striueto excell each other in humilitie not sollicitous who shall ouercome but applying all their strength their skill their labor that Truth may haue the victory the Church Peace and God the glory FINIS