Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A28255
|
A letter of advice written by Sr. Francis Bacon to the Duke of Buckingham, when he became favourite to King James
|
Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626.
|
1661
(1661)
|
Wing B302; ESTC R3667
|
10,672
|
18
|
difficulty direct that it be set down in writing then appoint it to be left with you in writing and appoint the Suitor to attend for his answer so many days after as may be competent of which time let a note be taken by your Secretary So shall you be eased of the Suitor in the mean time and he rest quiet till the day appointed in expectation of his dispatch 2. To prepare your self for these answers in their times set a part an houre in a day or two to sort your Petitions which will be easily done if your Secretary draw lines under the matter which alwayes lies in a narrow room 3. Think not your self nor any one or two private friends or servants to be able to comprehend the true reason of all things there is no such omnisciency to be look'd for But deviding the Petitions as they come to your hands into several sorts according to the nature of the matter first cause two or three several Copies to be made of the Petition or the substance of it 4. Then make choice of several men well versed in these several professions or qualities whom you think you may trust and to them severally send Copies desiring them within twenty days after to retun unto you in writing their opinions of the Petition and their reasons for it or against it and let not one of them know what the other doth 5. Then set a part an hour or two twice in a week to peruse these Petitions again and the Answers of the Referrees out of which compared together as out of Responsa prudentium you may collect such a judgment as within a short time you shall be able to judge of the fidelities and abilities of those you trust and return Answers to Petitions of all natures as an Oracle And be assured of this that next to the granting of the Request a reasonable and a faire denial if the matter will not bear it to be otherwise is most acceptable That you may dispose of all these sorts of business in a fit and a dexterous way I conceive that all matters of difficulty which will be presented to you will be one of these eight sorts either Concerning 1. Religion and Church-men or Church-matters 2. The Laws and the Professors thereof 3. The Councel Board and matters of State 4. Negotiation with forreign Princes or States 5. War by Sea or Land 6. Forreign Plantations and Colonyes 7. Matter of Trade 8. The Court or Curialitie What cannot be kauked under one of these heads will not be worthy of your thoughts and you will finde enough of these to take up your time But that you may not study your ease onely but chiefly your honour and the honour of your Master I beseech you to take these materials thus devided into these eight Sections into your more serious thoughts and propound to your self some Rules as Land-marks to guide your judgment in the examination of every one of them as shall come to your hand wherein I shall adventure to make an essay please you to perfect it 1. For Religion if any thing be offered to you touching it or touching the Church or Church-men or Church-government relye not only upon your self but take the opinion of some grave eminent Divines especially such as are sad and discreet men and exemplary for their Lives 2. If any Question be moved concerning the Doctrine of the Church of England expressed in the 39. Articles give not the least ear to the movers thereof that is so soundly and so Orthodoxally settled as cannot be questioned without extream danger to the honour and stability of our Religion which hath been sealed with the blood of so many Martyrs and Confessors as are famous through the Christian World The Enemies and underminers thereof are the Romish Catholiques so stiling themselves on the one hand whose Tenents are inconsistent with the truth of Religion professed and protested by the Church of England whence we are called Protestants and the Anabaptists and Seperatists and Sectaries on the other hand whose Tenents are full of Schisme and inconsistent with Monarchy For the regulating of either there needs no other Cohertion than the due execution of the Laws already established by Parliament 3. If any attempt be made to alter the discipline of our Church although it be not an essential part of our Religion yet it is so necessary not to be rashly altered as the very substance of Religion will be interessed in it Therefore I desire you before any attempt be made of an Innovation by your means or by any Intercession to your Master that you will first read over and his Majesty call to minde that wise and weighty Proclamation which himself penned and caused to be published in the first Year of his Reign and is prefixed in Print before the Book of Common Prayer of that Impression in which you will finde so prudent so weighty Reasons not to hearken to Innovations as will fully satisfie you that it is dangerous to give the least ear to such Innovators but it is desperate to be misled by them But to settle your judgment mark but the admonition of the wisest of men King Solomon Prov. 27. v. 21. My son fear God and the King and meddle not with those who are given to change II. Next touching the Laws wherein I mean the Common Laws of England I shall be the more sparing to speak because it is my profession but thus much I shall say with confidence that if they be righty administred they are the best the equallest in the world between the Prince and People by which the King hath the justest Prerogative and the People the best Liberty and if at any time there be an unjust deviation Hominis est vitium non professionis But that it may in all things have a fairer proceeding Let the King take a care and as much as in you lyes doe you take care for him that the Judges of the Law may be alwayes chosen of the Learnedst of the Profession for an ignorant man cannot be a good Judge of the prudentest and discreetest because so great a part of the Civill Government lyes upon their Charge and indeed little should be done in legall Consultations without them and very much may be done by their prudent advices especially in their Circuits if right use were made of them Believe me Sir much assistance would be had from them besides the delivering of the Gaols and trying of Causes between party and party if the King by himself which were the best or by his Chancellor did give them the Charge according to occurrences at their going forth and receive a particular accompt from them at their return home They would then be the best Intelligencers of the true state of the Kingdome and the surest means to prevent or remove all growing mischeifes within the body of the Realm Next to the Judges let care be taken that the Serjeants at Law be such as