Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	bishop_n	church_n	year_n	4,537	5	4.8354	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80408	Redintegratio amoris, or A union of hearts, between the Kings most excellent Majesty, the Right Honorable the Lords and Commons in Parliament, His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the Army under his command; the Assembly, and every honest man that desires a sound and durable peace, accompanied with speedy justice and piety. By way of respective apologies, so far as Scripture and reason may be judges. / By John Cook of Grayes-Inne, Barrester.	Cook, John, d. 1660.	1647 (1647)	Wing C6026; Thomason E404_29; ESTC R201862	78,816	92

their flesh the Papists raw flesh without bread some Priests would pronounce the words with a very loud voice thinking thereby to bring Christ the sooner from Heaven The people are angry with the Priest and say it is an incivility to invite a man to a Dinner and not make him drink others hold that no Article of faith can be contrary to a mans senses The Lord knowes that I write not this out of any Irreverence to the blessed Sacrament Dominicani Daem nic●ni Franciscani Fraudiscani Carmelitani Carnalitani Mendicantes Manducantes Cervi Servi but to shew that the Papists have more differences among themselves then the Protestants for he that will but read Mounseiur St. Aldegonds Table of d fferences between the Papists shall finde that there are above 500. differences between them about the point of Transubstantiation which Trent makes an Article of their faith and they differ in above 20. severall points among themselves the Iesuites contending for the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary The Dominicans tooth and naile opposing it every order of Monkes and Fryars studying to advance themselves and commend their own Saint and Patron and debase others in comparison so as if there should bee as many subdivisions in every point wherein they are divided as about Transubstantiation which I think is no hard matter to make good I might conclude that there are 10000. differences among the Papists and yet they all agree cordially against the Protestants and live as lovingly as if they were universally of one opinion and in Luthers time haveing a generall meeting for the reconciliation of all these differences one of their Bishops subtile and politique fearing that Luthers Arguments would take w th the People to make the Masse an arrant strumpit desires to make one objection for his satisfaction against it the which was that either Christ held in his hand bread or his body or the accidents of bread or something else or nothing if bread then the word this must be taken for this bread and that would be repugnant if his body it had been absurd to say my body is my body and they say it is no body till after the prolation of the words if the accidents then the Transubstantiation was before the words and to break accidents is not to break bread if any thing else what was it if nothing the Scripture is false for hee took and to say that the word this demonstrates nothing as present but what shall be this is to make our Saviour a Iugler to deceive their senses concerning the Virgins conception without sin he was likewise pusled because the Scripture saies all have sinned but only Christ and how then do they keep a Holyday for the Virgins Conception for no day may be kept holy for an unholy thing Others said it was but tolerated not approved but saies the Bishop brethren you see these are rationall doubts and your jarring will be the Lutherans uniting therefore Pray since wee cannot all agree in opinion least our differences should advantage the common Enemy let us live in love and banish all strife and contention and I doe here by Authority from the Apostolique See decree an Amnestia and Oblivion of all differences that have sprung up amongst any Papists concerning variety and d●fferences in judgement the hearkning to which advice as some Polititians observe An Act that all that differ in opinion shall li●e lovingly non obstante was a meanes to continue the greatest part of Germany in the Romish Religion I remember that at Paris going to see the Cardinalls Library which was kept by Doctor Smith our Countryman a subtile man and a great Schollar Bishop of Chalcedon alias terra incognita he was very earnest with me to reconcile my selfe into the bosome of the Roman Church abusing that Scripture that the Nation which did not serve her should bee destroyed and so must England I told him that mysticall Babylon must bee destroyed and he speaking something uncivily of England saying he was persecuted for his service done to his honoured Mistris and deare Mother the Church of Rome I made bold to tell his Lordship that he Courted a foule Mistris not because shee was foule but because shee was in the darke and in the dark Pope Ioane is as good as my Lady Amongst other discourse he told mee that the Protestants in England would destroy themselves and intreating his reason said he do not you see how they persecute the Puritans in England and Scotland and at Geneva And in the French Church Master Melletier Amarant for smal differences in opinion who being men more singular for zeale then the rest are disgraced whereas in our Church those which are most zealous are most honoured and the humility and austerity of the Capuchines and Cordeliers helpe to make amends for the luxuriance of other orders I wish every understanding man would but ponder this Argument can that Religion subsist and flourish where the most strict and powerfull professors of it are the objects of malice and opprest for their Consciences Wee allow saies he a greater latitude of opinions in the Church of Rome notwithstanding the inquisition then your Bishops will do in England I told his Titulary Lordship that is was the interest of England to bee as zealous for the Protestant Religion as the Spaniard was for the Pop●sh The purity of the Gospell and the free exercise and practice in the power of it is now the interest of this Kingdom and there is no such way under Heaven to make this Kingdom suddenly happy as for all godly men though of different judgments to unite cordially together against the common Enemy I think no man will say but that the Independants are as great Adversaries to Popery as any others are in this Kingdome But now sayes the Reader I perceive you are for Liberty of Conscience that Babell of confusion and monstrous Chymera as men call it Stay good friend if you be a spirituall man and a new creature that hast found any mercy from heaven to thy poore soule I shall speak a few words with you about this businesse for spirituall arguments to a dead heart are but as warm water to a dead man for a carnall man to argue of spirituall priviledges is for a man to take out a hot Iron with his fingers Conscience is a Diamond and only wrought upon by the dust of a Diamond men that have no Conscience know not what it is The best argument that hath bin brought against the Congregationall way is that which the Papists urge against Christs Priestly office in point of satisfaction that it is more lyable to Abuses and Heresies then the way of Classes so sayes Aquinas if good works do not merit who wil do any good works the prudentiall way certainly to move men to doe good works is to tell them that they merit by so doing but look at the Institution what is the will of Christ I doe

have ever been most thankful to those whose favor hath been their quickning spirit 't is pity any man should be undone for his ingenuity and though the Law be rather politick then moral yet I wish repentance may be expiatory so far as Salus be not indangered O but says one all the great Lawyers followed the King Not so neither I am sure the politick Lawyer stayd behind Ambition and Avarice make many a man argue against their own liberties how many men in the world are content to be slaves to some few that millions may be in servility to them it being demanded in a Counsel why so many there present should be of opinion that the Pope was above the Counsel it being against themselves Honest Verideus said the answer was easie because the Pope had so many Cardinals caps fat Bishopricks and rich Offices to bestow and the Counsel had none at their disposing The Bishops preached at Court to advance Prerogative above Law saying my Lord the King is like an Angel of light now Angels all accountable to God only that the King is Iure Divino and are subordinate Officers Iure humano whereas the Apostle calls Kings a humane Ordinance and there is not a man in the Army from the most noble General to the lowest Officer but is as much Iure Divino as the Kings Maiesty or the so much desired Presbytery That David never offended against Vriah for he saith against thee thee only O Lord have I offended giving the reason that Bathsheba was his subiect and that a man may do what he wil with his own and that his Majesty was to repent of any oath that he had made for doing Iustice for being intrusted by God the oaths are voyd Poenitenda presumptio non perficienda promissio The Iudges in like manner say that the King is a speaking Law and carries all the Laws in his breast and might call Parliaments and dissolve them at his own pleasure which if it were so what a foolish thing was it to send for Writs and trouble the Counties with such Iudibrious Elections like him that in the beginning of his Will devised 20000 l. to his wife but in the latter end for divers good causes and considerations him thereunto moving revoked the said Legacy and left her nothing When Iezabel had a mind to Naboths Vineyard it was no hard matter to get Iudges to declare the right against the subiect In dark times of Popery how easie was it for Princes to prefer such men to great places that would be Instruments to execute what ever they would have to be done but I have better thoughts of the present times for now judicial places are wel got and by consequence wel used I dare say there are not more honest men the number considered the of any profession in the world then are toward Law in this Kingdom and the Subjects would quickly find their usefulness to the state were there but one good statute to cut off at one blow all unnecessary delays in matters of Justice Root and Branch which are far more hurtful to the Kingdom then ever Bishops were which God and the Parliament grant The Emperor having a mind to a Subiects horse said all is mine therefore this horse is mine the 2 great Civilians Bartolus and Baldus were retained one for the King said the property of all goods belongs to the Emperor for he that may command the lives may command the goods of his Subiects and the usufruict and possession only is the Subiects the other Lawyer said for the Subiects that the property is in the Subiect and dominion only in the King according to Law the Chancellor being Judg said all is the Emperors who gave the horse to his Counsel and told the Subiects Councel he should never be a Iudg so long as he continued of that opinion but let no man obiect that I seem to asperse those learned Iudges which are at rest I honor the memory of all good Common-wealths-men and my opinion of them is that according to the Delatory forms of proceedings they were good Iustices between party and party but when the Kings Prerogative and the Subiects liberty came in Competition I affirm it confidently that all Iudgments have not been according to right reason witness the case of the Shipmony Knight-hood money Tunage Poundage and Monopolies of all sorts which they did not declare illegal And how many Gallant worthys have they suffered to live or dye in Prison whom they ought to have set at liberty by Habeas corpus And he that looks into matters with a single eye may easily discern that the Fountains from whence these late streams of blood have issued were no other but the pride of the Bishops a Generation who hated to be reformed therefore justly abolished and the pusillanimity and cowardice of the Iudges for if the Bishops had been indulgent to honest people and not Lorded it over the Lords inheritance poor souls they would have been content to have suffered much for quietness sake might they have but had the freedom of their Consciences in a peaceable manner and the Judges been couragious to have executed impartial Justice between the King and Courtiers and the Subiect and in doubtful matter to have inclined to Liberty the sword had never been unsheathed And for these present Reverend Judges I have Honorable thoughts of them but this I must say else I should be a Traytor to my Country that they tye themselves too much to old forms and in Courting the shadow of formalities and conserving the course of their Court they neglect the substance of morall Justice in not helping speedily every man to his due when the matter comes fairly before them for I must live and dye upon it that he doth not deserve the name of a good Judg that when the right appears to the Court doth not help the party to it beleeve it there is not so great an enemy to the Liberty of the Subject as this over-doting upon old forms as if the Ceremonial Law of the Jews were to be revived in the Common Laws of England If a Judg or Chancellor 300 years ago delivered an Erronious opinion this must bind us because he said so and so if one Judg once err this Kingdom must be undone perpetually because the Law is so Right reason is the wise mans president where Judges are learned and solid what need they search for Presidents And why may not we make Presidents for others as wel as they for us I never yet knew a politique Judg in England that considering the end of the Law is to speedy justice would dispence with writs to do right lose formalities to find essentials twelve Such politique Judges would quickly make the Kingdom happy for moral justice Taxes we see are multiplied in all Countries but what way is there to make the Kingdom amends for all the precious blood and treasure that hath been spilt and expended Truly one Ordinance

s●●e rather then out reformation might be the cause thereof for doe not their adversaries brag before the victory if many cruell men might have their wils what could the Army expect when disbanded Therefore if they should hereafter suffer they would undoubtedly make themselves a Ludibri●●● and derision to all the world what 20000 armed men victorious and veteran Commanders and Souldiers not flesh but bone that feare nothing but to offend God neither the sons of Anak not the sons of Cain that speake big like Gyants and persecute their brethren ●an Army that hath the justice of heaven on their sides the prayers of Gods people the good will of the whole Kingdom that have been the Joshuahs that have led Gods people into the spirituall Canaan that are plainly told that if they were disbanded they must not have a mouthfull of ayre in this Kingdome but in a prison unlesse they will put out their own eyes to see by the spectacles of other men in point of Gods service and worship that are called troublers of the State Heretikes and Sectaries that had been better the liberties of the Kingdom had been lost then saved by them and all this to their faces with their swords in their hands For such an Army as this I say to thinke upon disbanding as the ●ase stands I must make bold to tell them that if they should Jesus Christ would take it unkindly from them and they would make themselves culpaple of all the precious bloud that should be spilt in a way of persecution and all the reproaches mockings scornes scourging● banishments imprisonments contempts ignominies disgraced and affronts that shall be cast upon any Christian and the Gospel of Christ which any of Gods people shall hereafter in any wise suffer in this Kingdeme for their consciences and sincerity in Gods service would be laid upon their score and I solemnly professe with words of sobriety upon the Altar of truth that Gods people and this whole Kingdome would have cause to blame them as the greatest prevaricators of all others for to be treacherous for honours is dishonourable for a great Office to betray a trust is sordid and mercenary to betray a trust for feare is cowardly and servile for flattery or insinuation is weake effeminate and childish for love or relation is not so great an offence because more humane howbeit all treason committed against a mans Countrey is inhumane and unworthy but for one Christian to betray another is of all treacheryes the most abominable and here let me make this argument for the Army will it be sufficient for them to say if persecution should arise after their disbanding deare friends we cannot help you the Parliament are all for the Presbytery many of the Assembly and City Ministers were so importunate with many of the honourable Members to settle their Presbytery that we have left all things to them would it not be answered what Hath the Lord that gave you courage taken away ●cir wisdome did you begin in the s●irit and end in the flesh Is this the requit all we must expect for all our ●●●es for you who have prayed and beleeved you into all your victorior You say it had been most noble and so indeed it had for the Parliament before you engaged to have told you plainly Gentlemen We suspect many of you to be Independents be advised what you doe if you give us the victory we intend to settle a Presbytery and to suffer none to live in the Kingdome but such as shall conforme to the present government if you will fight to settle Presbytery well and good but your victory will be your ruine for the King promiseth a liberty and indulgence to tender consciences Might not your friends in the City and Kingdome as well have expected as much from you that you should have told them provide for your own indemnity the Bishops being by our means put down and abolished and the Presbytery setled wee intended no more as for the freedome of our consciences and yours and finding out an expedient for cheap and quick justice to be administred in all places which might make the poore Kingdome some good amends for all the charges they have been at if the Parliament please to doe it well and good we have that which we fought for Et gaudeant possidentes 'T is therefore but a taking of Gods providence in vain by many that looking only at the outside of things say that this Army loses much of their Honour they had gained by not Disbanding 't is quite contrary they had endangered the losse of their Honour indeed if they had disbanded before Laws and Liberties be setled perseverance is the Crown of Action to fight for Laws and Liberties and then to suffer an inconsiderable number of Intendiaries to trample upon the Priviledges of the Subject this had been a stain of a deep dye the truth is that the bellows are blown by some of the Clergy themselves Who knows not but that Divines as they call themselves have by their Divinations almost infatuated all Christendome but there is no Enchantment against Israel nor Divination against Jacob says Luther If Popery had lasted but two years longer in Saxony the Priests would have made the papists to have eaten straw with the Oxen were not most Kingdomes in Europe governed by Cardinals Bishops Priests and the Clergy who did not easily foresee in England but that it was an impossible thing to abolish Bishops without a War the Hierarchy had such a deep rooting that without a great Earthquake it could never have been shaken I have heard when the Parliament began some worthy Members being in discourse about the putting down of Bishops Master Pym and other gallant men sayd It was not possible to be done and when the Assembly first met they thought it impossible to take away the Common Prayer Book but we see what the Lord hath done for his people by his blessing upon the Parliament and our Armies mistake me not I doe not rejoyce that the COMMON PRAYER BOOK is suppressed for my part if the PARLIAMENT shall so please let those that are so earnest for it keepe● it still much good it may do them though I think little good will it do to them it never did hurt to Papists nor good to Protestants unlesse it be to shew them their dangerous condition for they pray that their lives may be more pure and holy and yet many of them scoff and jecreat purity and holiness but though we be not all one in judgement and opinion yet let us be all one in affection and live lovingly together as Brethren for he that loves another onely because he is of his opinion loves himself in that man A friend of mine too violent for the Classicall way seemed to be very angry because his Majesty was permitted the use of the Common Prayer Book I asked him whether in case his Majesty would be graciously pleased to allow him