Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	papist_n	protestant_n	3,430	5	8.0447	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00307	An Epistle, or apologie of a true, and charitable brother of the Reformed Church in fauoure of Protestantes, papistes, & those of the Reformatio[n] for a more moderat course of proceeding in matters of religion by searchinge the Scriptures, & examining theire spirits for the sense, and true meaninge of them by a peaceable conference, & such easy meanes as weare practised in the apostolicall, and primitiue church for plantinge the faith, and rooting out of errour tending to vnitie of religion, loyaltie to the Kings Maiestie, increase of honoure to him & his posteritie, & good of the Commonwealth.		1605 (1605)	STC 10431.5; ESTC S2111	18,209	49

AN EPISTLE OR APOLOGIE OF A TRVE AND CHARITABLE brother of the Reformed Church in fauours of Protestantes Papistes those of the Reformatiō for a more moderat course of proceeding in matters of Religion by searchinge the scriptures examining theire Spirits for the sense and true meaninge of them by a peaceable conference such easy meanes as weare practised in the Apostolicall and Primitiue Church for plantinge the faith and rooting out of errour tending to vnitie of Religion loyaltie to the kings Maiestie increase of honoure to him his posteritie good of the Commonwealth VVOrshipfull and my louing brother in the lord I haue receiued your louing aduertisements by writinge and I honoure you the more as well for that I see theareby your sinceare affection continued towards me 〈◊〉 also for your singular zeale euer to maintaine the gospell In which respects 〈◊〉 take in good parte your seuere reprehension and distast of the aduise I lately 〈◊〉 for a milder course in matters of Religion then hath bene for many yeares in this Realme folowed Wheareas you protest to remaine still my frend notwithstanding our difference in opinion touching this pointe therein appeareth your well grounded affection loue towards me and I could wish that all our brethren would keepe the same course of charitie towards all men howsoeuer they differ from vs in sense or opinion So should we beare the marke of true Religion and by this badge be knowen to be Christs disciples if we loue our Enimies Christ commaunded vs to loue our neighboure and declared as you knowe that the Samaritan was neighboure to the Iewe and thearefore not to be excluded from his loue howebeit otherwise he could not communicat with him in diuine affaires Your zeale is commendable in that you say with Paule Vtinam abscindantur qui v●● conturbant for with him you may so pray that they which withstand hinder the course of the gospell weare cutt of and rooted out But in that you wish them to be cutt of by the sword and I contrary wise by the force of gods word in this our opinions are different Wherefore my drift is in this Apoligie and defence first to set doune plainely my opinion and then to lay open the reasons that moued me theareto And so to come to the matter I wish with you and pray as Christe himself did that all the Kings Maiesties subiects may be made one in Christe to acknowledge all one god to embrace all one faith to liue vnder the rules of one lawe and so to agree if it may be in will and affection that we may be all Cor vnum anima vna One hart and one soule and this we both agree to be best not only in reguard of the soules health and eternal saluation but also for the ciuill policie and temporall gouernement of his Maiesties Dominions For whosoeuer would wish or seeke to nourish diuision in any sorte as he cannot be of god so is he not to be accompted a good gouernour or right politician In our last assembly at London it was our praier as you may well remember that the Kings Maiestie exalted to so greate a Monarchie and gouernment of so many kingdomes diversly sorted and affected in religion might haue that gracious vertue of the Adamant stone to drawe vnto him and winne to vnity in faith the people of diuers nations so committed to his charge For who of vs al doth not desire from his hart that the Protestants and Papists of England which are many in number the Papistes of Ireland where there are fewe or none other and the Nobility of Scotland of the which no small number inclyne that way would come with vs to the pure light of the gospell to our reformed Churches You remember the Profession of faith which to this intent and purpose we procured to be set foorth in print at his Maiesties first ingresse into this Realme but it preuailed not and had it not bene the respect was borne his Maiestie it had bene controuled as it was misliked both by the protestant papist And since that to further aduance our cause and to proceede in the same purpose we haue in peaceable manner donne what in vs lieth Let vs holde on the same moderat course and striue to preuaile not by the temporall sword of his Maiesties power but endeuoure to ouercome by the eternall sword of gods holly word Which though it be sweete and not violent yet is it a two edged svvord that cutteth on euery side and pierceth more dieply to winne the hart of man and alter his vnderstanding for planting the gospell then any humane force whatsoeuer I agree further with you that as it is a pointe of good husbandrie to weede the Corne-fielde before the weedes haue ouergrowen the corne so likewise may his Maiestie emploie his temporal sword that no Cockle be sowen or rise in the field of the lords Church vnder his protection and that such as begin to spring vp may be times be cutt of In matutino interficiebam omnes peccatores terrae So did that holly king Dauid pleased god highly theare with Thus much your arguments doe proue sufficiently For in this sense the kinge beareth the sworde to destroy all sinne sinners in matutino that is to say betimes while sinne sinfull erroures are newly budding may be cutt of without hurte and damage to the state of the good and faithfull And it is our part to be watchfull to discouer them betimes least if we sleepe too long they spring soe high and spreade so far that whosoeuer shoulde then attempt to pull them vp should destroy much corne withall doe more harme then good This then is the pointe whearein we iarre You thinke it needefull that the k. Maiestie proceede to authorize and establish our religion by the sworde to represse all other sects by seueritie of lawes such as weare practized in the daies of the late Queene against vs and against the Papists And I contrariwise am of opinion that such lawes and seueritie are in our case vnprofitable and will hurt rather then helpe the aduancement of our cause and I take this my aduise to be better grounded then yours in the written worde to approach neerer to the wisedome and course of gods diuine prouidence to be more conformable to Christian humanitie to beseeme better our prince for the assurance of his estate and the aduancement of his noble yssue and finally to agree best with true ciuill policie for the sweete peace rest and repose of this our Republique and increase thereof as shall appeare by the experience we haue seene with our owne eyes in these our daies as well in his Maiesties Dominions as in all Nations round about vs. That we haue slept too long all writers agree that for many hundred yeares for who of vs doth not see that the weedes haue ouergrowen the good corne taken so deepe roote

vpon his vvill pleasure To continue yet further in the affaires of Fraunce they that haue seene the successe may witnesse that no violence coulde vvorke out them of the Religion in the time and raigne of Charles 9. since the saide King Henries death the force of Spaine ioyned vvith Fraunce vnder the conduct of the dukes of Parma Du Maine did not so much preuaile in Fraunce as did the Bushop of Rome his courteous entreating the nowe king his adherents although of a contrary Religion vnto him If the Pope will for his more aduantage yeelde to them in some thinges who were his greatest enemies what neede we be so straight laced against our owne Contreymen for matters of religion May not his Maiesties example of clemency tovvards the Papistes heere moue some prince abroade to be fauorable to our brethren Is not the Masse suffered at Rochell other like townes in Fraunce in hope that they of the Religion may be likewise suffered in Paris other such townes in Fraunce Haue not our brethren in Holland offered to admit the Papistes to preach say Masse in theire Contreies so that they might haue like liberty in all the other Prouinces If we haue the truth why should we feare that other Religions should haue liberty with vs why may not the King doe as the Queene-mother did in Fraunce who being a strainger in the contrey at the death of her husband the gouerment of the realme fallinge into her hands during the minoritie of her children did iudge it the wisest way for the maintenance of her authority to keepe stil on foote the oppositiōs which she found either by diuersitie of Religion or otherwise to fauour them all in such sorte as still she might be able to curb the stronger by supporting the feeble and weaker partie Euery little gouernoure in Faunce that hath vnder his charge a towne or prouince where men of sundry Religions liue as the Duke Memorancy the Duke Bullion Diguiers and the like taketh the same course as the Queene mother did so keepeth his places or prouinces at his deuotion in due obedience And at this day in Fraunce you see no vndiscreetely zealous man in greate fauoure with the King or in high estate to gouerne that by the moderation of such as are not too forward the insolency of other whom zeale may moue to be trouble some may be repressed And thus the countrey is kept in greater peace quietnes then hath bene seene in Fraunce for 40. yeares before that chiefely by the diligēce dexteritie of two especiall fauorites of the kinge the Marques of Rosne high Tresurer Monsieur de Villaroy principal Secretary both of them of far different yet temperat humore in religion Nowe then let vs see what successe they had that tooke the contrary course of violence Truxes in these our daies B. of Colen became a Lutheran desirous to bring the contrey of his Electorship so in time the wholle Empire to Lutheranisme vsed no violence against his subiects that vvere Papists vntill Cassimer gaue him contrary councell by which he cleane ouerthrewe himselfe liued in banishment died in beggery left the contrey without all hope of euer enioying the gospell againe The zeale of the Archduke of Stiria was highly commended by the Papistes for his religious minde but not for his vndiscreete attempts in banishing them that were of a contrary religion out of all his dominions except they wolde become Papist like himselfe novve it is euident that the moderat gouernment of his father was much better vvho considering hovv daungerous a neighboure he had the number of those who otherwise woulde haue liued discontended in his contrey permitted them theire religion intreated them no worse then his other subiects vvhereby he ended his daies in peace vvhereas his sonne following a more headdy course of gouernment vvas the occasion that some of his subiects departed theire contrey had entrecourse vvith the Turke others staied dissembled theire religion while Canisia the key stay of that contrey vvas deliuered vp by them to the Turke vvho the more freely spoiled all the land because the Archduke hauing lost the hartes of his subiects vvanted men and meanes to resist him A vvorthy but lamentable mirror for all Princes to looke in behold hovv perilous a thing it is to vse violence against whatsoeuer religion but especially for England that so neere at hand hath such mighty kinges vvho perhapps vvold be glad of the like occasions We haue sometimes supported theire subiects against them for zeale of religion and therefore vve haue iust cause to feare the like measure If Charles 5. in Germany had not abated the flame of ciuill warres by his conniuence toleration the French king had made as easy an entrance into other parts of the empire as he did into those three Imperiall tounes Metz Towle Verdun but by the losse of these citties his successours haue learned to take a more milde course vvith theire subiects of whatsoeuer Religion least they shold open a more daungerous gap for the Turke the professed enemy of the Empire all Christiendome The like toleration as in the Empire is also permitted in the kingdome of Poland by reason of the Moscouit bordering vpon them in Dantzik as you knowe there is publique profession of both religions In Zuitzerland at the first heate many a blooddy battaile was fought for religion but in tyme thy learned to ioyne wisedome with zeale for conseruation of the state nowe they liue in peace with all securitie tolerating within theire Cantons the one the other Religion If the king of Spaine had at first permitted libertie of religion in the lowe contreis he had spared many a million both of men money enioyed with peace that vvich he is neuer like to recouer In that glasse likewise may we see howe ready Princes are vpon such occasions to weaken the forces of other Princes theire neighboures whose puissance they feare or enuye theire glory But nowe let vs looke home we shall see Ireland ouergrowen with papasts who haue not dissembled themselues as by the late vvarres appeared but especially att the Queenes death when not only in the contrey generally but also in the chiefe tounes where they were most restrayned made theire publique processions after the papisticall fashion where the Right honorable the novve Earle of Deuonshire most sage vvise in his gouernment not by force but faire meanes suppressing theire feruour conserued the Contrey in peace obedience to his Maiesty we see that the kinge doth not dislike that course by his singular fauoure to Tyrone his complices Scotland for the face of the Church is generally of our reformed Religion yet hath the Papist part so greate a sway in the contrey and so mighty a supporte of the Nobilitie that not many yeares since they encountred the earle of

and so far spred that amoungst his Maiesties subiects there are two for one of a contrary faith and opposite to ours and that not in ceremonies only for then we neede not sturre so much as we haue donne but in substantiall points of faith yea as vve esteeme in damnable erroures which we haue notified in our bookes as vvell against D. Whitguift and other Protestants as against the Papists To destroy all these that are in faith opposite vnto vs were ouermuch crueltie to compell them ro an externall worship against their conscience were no les dangerous and damnable for vs then for them to impouerish them by statute Iawes were to impouerish our selues being so lincked to them as many waies we are yea it were a greate weakening to the whole body of the estate to the detriment of our soueraigne Prince of the Common wealth for the wealth of the subiect is the treasure of the king the multitude of his people is his strenght and glory Gloris Regis multitudo populorum These be the grounds that haue moued me to approue and persvvade a more temperat course in matters of Religion of vvhich opinion though I haue not alwaies bene you as you suppose note to my shame yet I holde it not ignominius to chainge for the better vppon these others so graue considerations as in this treatise I shal sett doune for your and others satisfaction Saul when he stoned Stephan and the other Martyres had zeale but vvithout knowledge so had I while I was of your opinion confesse with Paul Sapiebam vt paruulus my vndiscreete zeale blinded my vnderstanding and in my iudgement there wanted ripenes maturitie As you doe nowe so did I then storme within my self to see his Maiestie ruled by the Protestants not only in those Papisticall ceremonies of his coronation vnction but also in the whole course and practize of the Communion Booke and administration of sacraments that he should leaue the wholle state of the Church of England in the same sorte as he found it take vpon him the title of supremacie in matters of Religion a pointe highly blamed in kinge Henry 8. by Master Caluin vvho vvithout al controuersie vvas one of the chiefest instruments of the gospell therefor neuer as yet receiued by any of our reformed Churches At his Maiesties first comming to the Croune vve exspected nothing lesse then this suddaine calme tovvards the Papistes They liue in peace and pay no more the Statute and that by commaundement from the kinge Some that lost theire lands countrey are novve restored to both with grace vvhich made me vvonder at the first inter into due cōsideration of the fact when conferring vvith some of knovven vvisedome and zeale I vnderstoode that the Marques Rosne Lord tresurer of Fraunce sent hethet as Embassadoure did amoungst other pointes very mainly persuade his Maiesty not to force any of his subiects in the busines of Religion himselfe being as you knovve a very good Christian And farther vnderstanding hovv quietly our breethren in Fraunce liue togeither vvith the Papists vnder lavves prouided for that purpose I finde that this Nobleman hath dealt honourably vvith his Maiesty giuen the same aduise by vvhich the K. his Master vvonne Fraunce established his Croune in peace Let vs then examine vvhether this aduise agree with the word may stand vvith the true zeale of the gospell It seemeth to me that vvithout al reply the case is already ouer ruled resolued by Christs expresse sentence Matth. 12. In the parable of the see desman vvho sovveed good seede in his fielde none but true doctrine but vvhilest men were a sleepe the enemy of truth came and ouersovved the Cockle of erroure his seruants had slept so long that the blade shot vp and ouertopt the vvheate before it vvas espied the zealouse ministers of the truth avvaking seeing the fielde in this case offered to goe roote out the tares Vis imus colligimus ea say they This is the question betvveene vs. Your aunsvveare vvould haue bene to those labourers in the lords haruest Goe pull them vp by the rootes but the lords aunsvveare vvas far othervvise Let them alone saith he let them grovve togeither vntill the haruest Sinite vtraque crescere vsque ad messem Which by his ovvne interpretation is the end of the vvorlde he giueth this reason thereof Least in pulling vp the Cockle ye roote vp also the vvheate If Christe vvill haue it thus vvhy doe you blame my aduise that a Christian kinge should doe the same rather then vse the svvord of force violence vpon any the like occasions The reason that our Sauiour alledgeth is in our case most pregnant vveighty For vvhereas in all his Maiesties Dominions men of all Religions are so lincked togeither vvith vs in blood alliance frendship othervvise that in pulling vp the one roote the other combined therevvith must necessarily folovve or take some harme in vvishing his Maiestie to take that course of violence vve sholde not only vvound many that are neere vnto vs but also greatly preiudise our selues as hath appeared by the attempt to roote out the Papistes in the late Queenes daies vvhen many of our ovvne brethren vvere brought vvith them to extreame calamity The father being a Papist vvas throvven out of his house and spoiled of all his goods his vvife children vndonne pressed with miserie although they weare most zealous in the lord and we that had matched in theire families were by these meanes defraunded of our expected snccession to their goods and liuinges When for the same cause any one of calling lost his life or his goods or otherwise vvas but in disgrace did not all such loose theire support as vvere lincked vnto him or depended vpon him for theire seruice and aduancement vvhereof greate numbers vvere no vveedes but very good Corne VVherefore I cannot like the reuiuing of such a course againe sith as you see it proceeedeth not from the spirit of our Sauiour but rather from passion or at the least from vndiscreete zeale The vveedes I confesse doe hinder the grovvth of the good corne and are there vvith no lesse damage then vvas the fruteles figtree in the viniard of the lord and yet the lord of the viniard vvas easily intreated to deale not by threatnings to cutt it doune but rather to digge about it and to dung it in hope of fruite theareafter Luc. 13. Haue vve not seene many such trees chainged vvith time ad patience VVhat a losse had it bene then to haue cutt them of in theire vnfruteful season vve should rather in the spirit of meekenes hartely pray for theire conuersion and intreate delay of theire confusion vvere they as sinfull as Sodome that so doing vve might be knovven to be the true seed of faithfull Abraham If you say the trees in question are not oly fruitles but hurtfull in the viniard and

Arguile in the fielde gaue him the ouerthrovve Howbeit they fled before the face of the king when the came in person leauing theire houses contrey at his Maiesties deuotion England is much more diuided into sectes especially into three the Protestants only allowed by authoritie in the Realme the Papists who pretend antiquitie thirdly our selues who nolesse desire to reforme the Protestant abuses then they haue donne the Papistes The state of his Maie sties Dominiōs standing thus then as you see what wise man can wish him to stuire much against any For what man may iustly repine if he but only abstaine from violence We may very well content our selues that our king is of our faith will not suffer vs our doctrine to be either disgraced or defaced a temperat course with the Papistes may winne them to be as ready as others to withstand all foreine inuasions or home insurrectiōs if either of both vnder what pretext soeuer should happen And in like case as was our Portugall voiage or vpon any reuolt of the Indians or tumult in Fraunce ten thousand Papistes woulde doe more seruice in winning to them the inhabitāts of those partes being as they are affected in religion then thrice tolde so many of vs. Thus may you see what mildnes will doe howe lately Repentance may followe the greene vnripe heades of Roboams young vnaduised violent counsellours I will adde yet an example in the Monarchie of the Turke who gouerning himselfe only by the light of naturall reason as we may doe when it is without preiudice to the gospell set doune as a Maxime in policie to clime the better to that greatnes whereto he aspired not to force the conscience of his subiects nor euer to chainge vvith violence the Religion in such kingdomes as he might happily subdue Wherevpon some haue more easily yeelded vnto his conquest others oppressed by theire owne Princes perturbed with ciuill warres haue called the Turke vnto them made him lord of the wholle land which they woulde neuer haue donne if it had bene his custome to force any against his conscience in matters of Religion Luther himselfe being pressed by the warres of Charles 5. dealt earnestly with the Germans to call in the Turke hoping that vnder his gouernement he might more freely preach the gospell for the greater glory of theire nation theire Prince his aduancemēt the French doe best like the same course of toleration in Religion haue found by practise that they liue in peace with the exercise of both religions all most in all theire tounes not without greate hope that in reuolution of tymes theire king may haue thereby a more easy accesse vnto the empire or to other states as occasion falles The States of the vnited Prouinces haue offered him such an entry into theire contrey as he should neuer haue obtained if there had bene the least suspicion of forcing theire consciences in vaine should he ayme at the kingdomes of Nauarre Naples or the Dutchy of Millaine were he an enemy to theire Religion Why then might not our king take the like course for occasions or pretensions abroade his safety at home it being the readiest way to keepe al his forces vnited all his subiects in most dutiful affectiō towardes him his rovall yssue For whosoeuer considereth the multitude of his people theire valor howe easily they are leauied howe speedily imbarked for any contrey shal finde that our king may with greater reason aspire to the election of the Empire in case he did affect it then any other or some of his noble issue be chosen kings of Poland or be ready to imbrace any occasion offered for the encrease of this Monarchie The French king was glad to see our late Queene embarked in the warres of the lowe Contreies at vvhat time perchaunce by reason of his trobles she might haue recouered the Dutchy of Normandy perhaps the better parte of Fraunce as she was once resolud to haue donne by the aduise of Duke Cassimer she had gonne forwarde had it not bene laied cleerely before her eyes howe odious she had made herselfe vnto that nation by persecuting her subiectes at home with taxations torture to this purpose they published in print the seuere lawes which she had made against the Masse the Papists They that called in the Spaniard would haue yeelded more vvillingly to theire ancient Dukes of Normandy had thy not bene vvithdrawen vvith feare of loosing the exercise of theire Religion And if Fraunce should fall againe as it may into the like daunger vpon some nevve occasion vvere it not to be vvished that such partes theire of as vvoulde seeke to be vnder the gouernement of a strainger might fall rather into our hands then any other By this you may perceiue that the Marquis Rosne his conceipt vvas not to our disaduantage For they of the Religion in Fraunce in time of ciuill vvarres may giue vs an entry the other the rather for our alliance vvith many of theire Princes vvill giue vs a plancke to passe ouer for theire reliefe I dwell not in these examples as desirous of warre for I wish his Maiesty for his more assurance at home to strengthen himselfe abroade in ciuill amity with all with Fraunce with Spaine yea with the Pope himselfe for it is no wisedome to make light of any mans frendship I wish his Maiestie likewise to entertaine as he doth all his subiects vvith sweete behauiour to cutt of all occasions from foreine Princes to support his subiects or disunite his kingdomes which they neuer wisht to see so vnited in one His Maiesty therefore hath greate reason to cherish all indifferenly to put none out of his English Arke no more then Noah did out of his where as you knowe there were beastes of all kindes Ireland was a greate temptation to the Spantard the French take little pleasure at this mariadge with Scotland whence they were allwayes wont to haue reliefe when our armies were in Fraunce All things are best preserued by such meanes as they are begotten God hath made him our king without bloodshed and with such peace he may raigne more assuredly then by any force or violence The Turke as I haue said gott many kingdomes by tolerating theire Religions but when there arose a newe secte in his owne lawe passion presumption made him forget the Principle by which he grewe to be so greate so he lost by one reuolte the halfe of his Empire which nowe the Persian enioyeth whilest by Warre force he striued to gaine them The meanes to apease dissentions are not rough speeches nor hard vsages vvhich if in all quarells it be true as Salomon saieth then is it much more in matters of vnderstanding as are faith and Religion vvherein vvhensoeuer vvillfullnes is ioyned perswasion may perhaps preuaile alone but force vvithout reason neuer All violent proceedings engendre