Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	book_n	divine_a	scripture_n	2,963	5	6.0860	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67470	The lives of Dr. John Donne, Sir Henry Wotton, Mr. Richard Hooker, Mr. George Herbert written by Izaak Walton ; to which are added some letters written by Mr. George Herbert, at his being in Cambridge : with others to his mother, the Lady Magdalen Herbert ; written by John Donne, afterwards dean of St. Pauls.	Walton, Izaak, 1593-1683.	1670 (1670)	Wing W671; ESTC R15317	178,870	410

rest both to my self and my Reader His first four Books and large Epistle have been declared to be printed at his being at Boscum Anno 1594. Next I am to tell that at the end of these four Books there is printed this Advertisement to the Reader I have for some causes thought it at this time more fit to let go these first four Books by themselves than to stay both them and the rest till the whole might together be published Such generalities of the cause in question as are here handled it will be perhaps not amiss to consider apart by way of Introduction unto the Books that are to follow concerning particulars in the mean time the Reader is requested to mend the Printers errours as noted underneath And I am next to declare that his fifth Book which is larger than his first four was first also printed by it self Anno 1597. and dedicated to his Patron for till then he chose none the Archbishop These Books were read with an admiration of their excellency in This and their just fame spread it self into foraign Nations And I have been told more than forty years past that either Cardinal Allen or learned Doctor Stapleton both English men and in Italy about the time when Hookers four Books were first printed meeting with this general fame of them were desirous to read an Authour that both the Reformed and the learned of their own Church did so much magnifie and therefore caused them to be sent for and after reading them boasted to the Pope which then was Clement the eighth that though he had lately said he never met with an English Book whose Writer deserved the name of Author yet there now appear'd a wonder to them and it would be so to his Holiness if it were in Latin for a poor obscure English Priest had writ four such Books of Laws and Church Polity and in a Style that exprest so Grave and such Humble Majesty with clear demonstration of Reason that in all their readings they had not met with any that exceeded him and this begot in the Pope an earnest desire that Doctor Stapleton should bring the said four Books and looking on the English read a part of them to him in Latin which Doctor Stapleton did to the end of the first Book at the conclusion of which the Pope spake to this purpose There is no Learning that this man hath not searcht into nothing too hard for his understanding this man indeed deserves the name of an Authour his books will get reverence by Age for there is in them such seeds of Eternity that if the rest be like this they shall last till the last fire shall consume all Learning Nor was this high the onely testimony and commendations given to his Books for at the first coming of king James into this Kingdom he inquired of the Archbishop Whitgift for his friend Mr. Hooker that writ the Books of Church Polity to which the answer was that he dyed a year before Queen Elizabeth who received the sad news of his Death with very much Sorrow to which the King replyed and I receive it with no less that I shall want the desired happiness of seeing and discoursing with that man from whose Books I have received such satisfaction Indeed my Lord I have received more satisfaction in reading a leaf or paragragh in Mr. Hooker though it were but about the fashion of Churches or Church musick or the like but especially of the Sacraments than I have had in the reading particular large Treatises written but of one of those Subjects by others though very learned men and I observe there is in Mr. Hooker no affected language but a grave comprehensive clear manifestation of Reason and that back't with the Authority of the Scripture the Fathers and Schoolmen and with all Law both Sacred and Civil And though many others write well yet in the next age they will be forgotten but doubtless there is in every page of Mr. Hookers Book the picture of a Divine Soul such Pictures of Truth and Reason and drawn in so sacred Colours that they shall never fade but give an immortal memory to the Author And it is so truly true that the King thought what he spake that as the most learned of the Nation have and still do mention Mr. Hooker with reverence so he also did never mention him but with the Epithite of Learned or Judicious or Reverend or Venerable Mr. Hooker Nor did his Son our late King Charles the First ever mention him but with the same reverence enjoining his Son our now gracious King to be studious in Mr. Hookers Books And our learned Antiquary Mr. Cambden mentioning the death the modesty and other vertues of Mr. Hooker and magnifying his Books wish't That for the honour of this and benefit of other Nations they were turn'd into the Universal Language Which work though undertaken by many yet they have been weary and forsaken it but the Reader may now expect it having been long since begun and lately finisht by the happy Pen of Dr. Earl late Lord Bishop of Salisbury of whom I may justly say and let it not offend him because it is such a truth as ought not to be conceal'd from Posterity or those that now live and yet know him not that since Mr. Hooker dyed none have liv'd whom God hath blest with more innocent Wisdom more sanctified Learning or a mo●e pious● peaceable primitive temper so that this excellent person seems to be only like himself and our veerbale Rich. Hooker and only fit to make the learned of all Nations happy in knowing what hath been too long confin'd to the language of our little Island There might be many more and just occasions taken to speak of his Books which none ever did or can commend too much but I decline them and hasten to an account of his Christian behaviour and death at Borne in which place he continued his customary Rules of Mortification and Self-denial was much in Fasting frequent in Meditation and Prayers enjoying those blessed returns which only men of strict lives feel and know and of which men of loose and godless lives cannot be made sensible for spiritual things are spiritually discern'd At his entrance into this place his friendship was much sought for by Dr. Hadrian Saravia then or about that time made one of the Prebends of Canterbury a German by Birth and sometimes a Pastor both in Flanders and Holland where he had studied and well considered the controverted points concerning Episcopacy and Sacriledge and in England had a just occasion to declare his judgment concerning both unto his Brethren Ministers of the Low Countreys which was excepted against by Theodor Beza and others against whose exceptions he rejoyned and thereby became the happy Author of many learned Tracts writ in Latin especially of three one of the Degrees of Ministers and of the Bishops superiority above the Presbytery a second against

usually printed before Mr. Hookers five Books but omitted I know not why in the last impression of the eight printed together in Anno 1662. in which the Publishers seem to impose the three doubtful as the undoubted Books of Mr. Hooker with these two Letters J. S. at the end of the said Epistle which was meant for this John spencer in which Epistle the Reader may find these words which may give some Authority to what I have here written And though Mr. Hooker hastened his own death by hastening to give life to his Books yet he held out with his eyes to behold these Benjamins these sons of his right hand though to him they prov'd Benonies sons of pain and sorrow But some evil disposed minds whether of malice or covetousness or wicked blind zeal it is uncertain as soon as they were born and their father dead smother'd them and by conveying the perfect Copies left unto us nothing but the old imperfect mangled draughts dismembred into pieces no favour no grace not the shadow of themselves remaining in them had the father lived to behold them thus defaced he might rightly have named them Benonies the sons of sorrow but being the learned will not suffer them to dye and be buried it is intended the world shall see them as they are the learned will find in them some shadows and resemblances of their fathers face God grant that as they were with their Brethren dedicated to the Church for messengers of peace so in the strength of that little breath of life that remaineth in them they may prosper in their work and by satisfying the doubts of such as are willing to learn they may help to give an end to the calamities of these our Civil Wars J. S. And next the Reader may note that this Epistle of Dr. Spencers was writ and first printed within four years after the death of Mr. Hooker in which time all diligent search had been made for the perfect Copies and then granted not recoverable and therefore endeavoured to be compleated out of Mr. Hookers rough draughts as is exprest by the said Dr. Spencer since whose death it is now 50 Years And I do profess by the faith of a Christian that Dr. Spencers Wife who was my Aunt and Sister to George Cranmer of whom I have spoken told me forty Years since in these or in words to this purpose That her Husband had made up or finish't Mr. Hookers last three Books and that upon her Husbands Death-bed or in his Last Sickness he gave them into her hand with a charge they should not be seen by any man but be by her delivered into the hands of the then Archbishop of Canterbury which was Dr. Abbot or unto Dr. King then Bishop of London and that she did as he injoin'd her I do conceive that from Dr. Spencers and no other Copy there have been divers Transcripts and were to be found in several places as namely Sir Thomas Bodlies Library in that of Dr. Andrews late Bishop of Winton in the late Lord Conwayes in the Archbishop of Canterburies and in the Bishop of Armaghs and in many others and most of these pretended to be the Authors own hand but much disagreeing being indeed altered and diminisht as men have thought fittest to make Mr. Hookers judgement suit with their fancies or give authority to their corrupt designs and for proof of a part of this take these following Testimonies Dr. Barnard sometime Chaplain to Dr. Usher late Lord Archbishop of Armagh hath declar'd in a late Book called Clavi Trebales printed by Richard Hodgkinson Anno 1661. that in his search and examination of the said Bishops Manuscripts he found the three written Books which were supposed the 6 7 and 8 of Mr. Hookers Books of Ecclesiastical Polity and that in the said three Books now printed as Mr. Hookers there are so many omissions that they amount to many Paragraphs and which cause many incoherencies the omissions are by him set down at large in the said printed Book to which I refer the Reader for the whole but think fit in this place to insert this following short part of them First as there could be in Natural Bodies no Motion of any thing unless there were some first which moved all things and continued unmoveable even so in Politick Societies there must be some unpunishable or else no man shall suffer punishment for sith punishments proceed alwayes from Superiors to whom the administration of justice belongeth which administration must have necessarily a fountain that deriveth it to all others and receiveth not from any because otherwise the course of justice should go infinitely in a Circle every Superior having his Superior without end which cannot be therefore a Well-spring it followeth there is a Supreme head of Justice whereunto all are subject but it self in subjection to none Which kind of preheminency if some ought to have in a Kingdom who but the King shall have it Kings therefore or no man can have lawful power to judge If private men offend there is the Magistrate over them which judgeth if Magistrates they have their Prince if Princes there is Heaven a Tribunal before which they shall appear on Earth they are not accomptable to any Here sayes the Doctor it breaks off abruptly And I have these words also attested under the hand of Mr. Fabian Philips a man of Note for his useful Books I will make Oath if I shall be required that Dr. Sanderson the late Bishop of Lincoln did a little before his death affirm to me he had seen a Manuscript affirmed to him to be the hand-writing of Mr. Richard Hooker in which there was no mention made of the King or Supreme Governours being accomptable to the People this I will make Oath that that good man attested to me Fabian Philips So that there appears to be both Omissions and Additions in the said last three printed Books and this may probably be one reason why Dr. Sanderson the said learned Bishop whose Writings are so highly and justly valued gave a strict charge near the time of his Death or in his last Will That nothing of his that was not already printed should be printed after his Death It is well known how high a value our learned King James put upon the Books writ by Mr. Hooker as also that our late King Charles the Martyr for the Church valued them the second of all Books testified by his commending them to the reading of his Son Charles that now is our gracious King and you may suppose that this Charles the First was not a stranger to the pretended three Books because in a Discourse with the Lord Say when the said Lord required the King to grant the truth of his Argument because it was the judgement of Mr. Hooker quoting him in one of the three written Books the King replied They were not allowed to be Mr. Hookers Books but however he would allow them to be Mr. Hookers

and consent to what his Lordship proposed to prove out of those doubtful Books if he would but consent to the Judgement of Mr. Hooker in the other five that were the undoubted Books of Mr. Hooker In this relation concerning these three doubtful Books of Mr. Hookers my purpose was to enquire then set down what I observ'd and know which I have done not as an engaged person but indifferently and now leave my Reader to give sentence for their legitimation as to himself but so as to leave others the same liberty of believing or disbelieving them to be Mr. Hookers and 't is observable that as Mr. Hooker advis'd with Dr. Spencer in the design and manage of these Books so also and chiefly with his dear Pupils George Cranmer whose Sister was the Wife of Dr. Spencer of which this following Letter may be a Testimony and doth also give Authority to some things mentioned both in this Appendix and in the Life of Mr. Hooker and is therefore added GEORGE CRANMER'S LETTER unto Mr. Richard Hooker February 1598. WHat Posterity is likely to judge of these matters concerning Church-Discipline we may the better conjecture if we call to mind what our own Age within few years upon better Experience hath already judged concerning the same It may be remembred that at first the greatest part of the Learned in the Land were either eagerly affected or favourably inclined that way The Books then written for the most part savoured of the Disciplinary stile it sounded everywhere in Pulpits and in common phrase of mens speech the contrary part began to fear they had taken a wrong course many which impugned the Discipline yet so impugned it not as not being the better Form of Government but as not being so convenient for our State in regard of dangerous Innovations thereby like to grow one man alone there was to speak of whom let no suspition of flattery deprive of his deserved commendation who in the defiance of the one part and courage of the other stood in the gap and gave others respite to prepare themselves to the defence which by the sudden eagerness and violence of their adversaries had otherwise been prevented wherein God hath made good unto him his own Impress Vincit qui patitur for what contumelious indignities he hath at their hands sustained the World is witness and what reward of Honour above his Adversaries God hath bestowed upon him themselves though nothing glad thereof must needs confess Now of late years the heat of men towards the Discipline is greatly decayed their judgements begin to sway on the other side the Learned have weighed it and found it light wise men conceive some fear left it prove not only not the best kind of Government but the very bane and destruction of all Government The cause of this change in mens Opinions may be drawn from the general nature of Error disguised and cloathed with the name of Truth which did mightily and violently possess men at first but afterwards the weakness thereof being by time discovered it lost that reputation which before it had gained as by the outside of an house the passers by are oftentimes deceived till they see the conveniency of the Rooms within so by the very name of Discipline and Reformation men were drawn at first to cast a fancy towards it but now they have not contented themselves only to pass by and behold afar off the Fore-front of this reformed house they have entered in even at the special request of Master-workmen and chief builders thereof thy have perused the Roomes the Lights the Conveniencies and they finde them not answerable to that report which was made of them not to that opinion which upon report they had conceived So as now the Discipline which at first triumphed over all being unmasked beginneth to droop and hang down her head This cause of change in opinion concerning the Discipline is proper to the Learned or to such as by them have been instructed another cause there is more open and more apparent to the view of all namely the course of Practice which the Reformers have had with us from the beginning the first degree was onely some small difference about the Cap and Surplice but not such as either bred division in the Church or tended to the ruine of the Government established This was peaceable the next degree more stirring Admonitions were directed to the Parliament in peremptory sort against our whole Form of Regiment in defence of them Volumes were published in English and in Latin yet this was no more than writing Devices were set on foot to erect the Practice of the Discipline without Authority yet herein some regard of Modesty some moderation was used Behold at length it brake forth into open outrage first in writing by Martin in whose kind of dealing these things may be observed first that whereas T. C. and others his great Masters had always before set out the Discipline as a Queen and as the Daughter of God He contrarywise to make her more acceptable to the people brought her forth as a Vice upon the Stage 2. This conceit of his was grounded as may be supposed upon this rare policy that seing the Discipline was by writing refuted in Parliament rejected in secret corners hunted out and deciyed it was imagined that by open rayling which to the Vulgar is commonly most plausible the State Ecclesiastical might have been drawn into such contempt and hatred as the overthrow thereof should have been most grateful to all men and in a manner desired by all the Common people 3. It may be noted and this I know my self to be true how some of them although they could not for shame approve so lewd an Action yet were content to lay hold on it to the advancement of their cause by acknowledging therein the secret Judgments of God against the Bishops and hoping that some good might be wrought thereby for his Church as indeed there was though not according to their construction For 4. contrary to their expectation that railing Spirit did not only not further but extremely disgrace and prejudice their Cause when it was once perceived from how low degrees of contradiction at first to what outrage of Contumely and Slander they were at length proceeded and were also likely to proceed further A further degree of outrage was also in Fact Certain Prophets did arise who deeming it not possible that God should suffer that to be undone which they did so fiercely desire to have done Namely that his holy Saints the favourers and Fathers of the Discipline should be enlarged and delivered from persecution and seeing no means of Deliverance Ordinary were fain to persuade themselves that God must need raise some extraordinary means and being persuaded of none so well as of themselves they forth with must needs be the instruments of this great work Hereupon they framed unto themselves an assured hope that upon their Preaching