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
A38185	The Franciscan convert, or, A recantation-sermon of Anthony Egan ... preached in London on April 6, 1673 to which is annexed, A narrative of the strange behaviour and speeches of the papists in Ireland since His Majesties declaration of indulgence : and the commendatory letter in Latine, given to the author by his superiour before his conversion.	Egan, Anthony, B.D.; Ford, Henry, Sir, 1619?-1684.	1673 (1673)	Wing E248; ESTC R7765	10,949	36

be enquired by some Whether I be not gone from Popery to Popery that is unto the same Church though of another Denomination it being objected that the Constitutions of this Church are framed out of Popery and the Common Prayer Book compiled out of the Mass-Book I answer The Devil hath many devices to carry on his own interest and the Papists do contrive many Engines to distract Protestants and I look upon this Objection to be hammered in their Forge to make us worry one another and to break our Communion But to give a full answer to the objection let me tell you that I think I understand the Mass-Book better than any here and can assure you the Argument is vain and unworthy My reason follows first all is not Popery that is in the Mass-book there are several particulars of the Primitive Litturgy that is not Popery There are several places taken out of the holy Bible neither is that Popery Secondly there are several other good things in the Mass-book and if it were not so the Cheat would be evident to every Eye You know the Devil could tempt our Saviour in Scripture language shall we therefore expunge these Scriptures because the Devil used them He transforms himself sometimes into an Angel of light yet that makes him no less a Devil though harder to be discovered The reformation quarrels not with the Church of Rome for any thing that is good but what is really bad We differ not from Rome in any thing but wherein she hath differed from her self so the Schism is in Rome not here and from very good grounds I am apt to believe that Rome hath altered almost as much in her Religion as in her Language for you may as well say that the Italian is the ancient Language of Rome as the present Court of Rome is the ancient Church of Rome The Church is compared to a Spouse the Pope hath put her in a Fools coat and besmeared her face with filth and nastiness The Reformation washeth her face and takes from her her ridiculous garments but meddles not with her Essentials nor any thing else but what is an apparent scandal But I know not how to represent the condition of our Church at the time of the Reformation better than by comparing it to a house infected with the Plague The Charity and Wisdom of Authority orders this house to be cleansed by burning all the infected Rags but the Pewter Brass or Iron and other goods not capable of any infection still abide to the use of the house What remains of the comparison I leave to your own meditation to illustrate I have only this to say That as the Papists have attempted my life I must conclude that they will traduce my name and bespatter my reputation but I hope your Charity will relieve me and for my own part with the Almighties assistance I will be cautious that my life scandalize not my Profession that from thence the Enemies of the Lord may have no cause to blaspheme I hope you will joyn with me in giving to the God of my mercies all honour and praise the just Tribute of all created beings henceforth and for evermore AMEN A true Narrative of some of the Actions and Speeches of several Papists in Ireland since his Majesties Declaration of Indulgence published in that Kingdome whereby does appear the great disadvantages and hazards such persons as are converted from Popery to the Protestant Religion must of necessity expose themselves to By me Anthony Egan now Minister of the Gospel late a Franciscan Fryer and Guardian of the Friery of Monasterioris in the Kings County in the Province of Leinster Confessor general throughout the said Kingdom and Chaplain to several persons of quality of the Popish Religion there BY the Providence of God I was Converted to the Protestant Religion about two years since at which time I obtained from the succeeding Guardian of the Friery whereof I was formerly Guardian a Guardian being used to be Elected every three years a Testimonial of my good behaviour before I declared my self in publick to be Converted After my Conversion I applied my self to the Lord Bishop of Clonfeart who gave me a Curates place in Loughreah with some other preferment in the County of Galloway worth about 80 l. per annum where I shortly after in using my Function in the Church was shot at by one Thomas Tressey a Papist Inhabitant of that place but not wounded for which he was afterward bound to his good behaviour by the said Bishop after which the Papists there did several times threaten me with death whereupon for preservation of my Life I was forced to retire into Lymerick whereby I lost such preferment as the said Bishop had bestowed upon me But before I went from Loughreagh several of the Papists Priests and others living thereabouts which I am ready to name and do hereby Accuse did publiquely report that his Majesty his Royal Highness and all the Nobility Gentry of the Kingdome of England were privately of their Religion which they used as an Argument to make me fall back again to Popery After my coming to Lymerick I being appointed to Preach an Anniversary Sermon in Detestation of the late Rebellion there several Popish Priests and others came to hear me and after Sermon ended as I was going from Supper assaulted me in the Night-time and endeavoured to kill me but by the providence of God I defended my self and escaped unhurt After that I came to Youghall about Christmas last where one of the Papists there did report in the hearing of Credible Witnesses that he should think himself very happy if he could have opportunity to kill me though he should be hanged for it immediately for which the said Papist was by the Mayor committed to prison After which to save my life I was forced to go to Dublin and being recommended by the Earl of Orrary to the Arch-Bishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland I had Authority and did preach as well in the Cathedrals as other Churches there and as often as I preached was assaulted in the Streets by a Rabble of Papists of that Citty in one of which Assaults my Man was wounded and I hardly escaped their Fury whereupon my Lord Lieutenant of Ireland gave me his Protection notwithstanding which I was persecuted and assaulted as much as before in so much that I was forced for safeguard of my Life to come for England to my great discouragement and the discouragement of all such that are Protestants of that Kingdome and others that would be so were they not held to their Superstition for fear of losing their Lives by the fury and rage of the Papists there During my abode in Ireland since my Conversion I was instrumental in Converting several Priests and others to the Protestant Religion and without doubt many more would have been turned from the Romish Church had they not been affrighted by the rigour and

fury of the Papists there against me and others one whereof being Guardian of a Friery and after some Correspondence with me had inclination to become a Protestant whereof Talbot that goes by the name of Arch Bishop of Dublin understanding Excommunicated him and the whole Inhabitants of two Parishes procured a Warrant from the Lord Dungan who is a Papist and made a Justice since the Indulgence to take the said Guardian or Prior who being brought before him he caused him to be laid in Irons and committed to a Dungeon where he remained till complaint was made to the Counsel of Ireland whereupon the Councel dispatched Sir Henry Ingoldsby to know the truth thereof with a Habeas Corpus for his Removal who found him in the Condition before related and committed for High Treason as appeared by his Mittimus whereby he could not be removed but all the said Sir Henry Ingoldsby could do by being bound for his true Imprisonment was to procure him the liberty of the Town and a Tollerable Roome to Lodg in till he should be delivered by due course of Law All which I am ready to prove not only of my own knowledg but also by the Testimony of several persons of Quality some whereof are now in this Kingdome and many other things of like nature which to avoyd prolixity I now omit but if desired will shew the particulars By the Lord Lieutenant General and General Governour of Ireland ESSEX WHereas we are informed that Anthony Egan Clerk the last Sabbath day and several other times hath been Assaulted abused and disturbed in the Street and other places by Boys and other disorderly loose and idle persons to his great discouragement in the performance of his Function and contrary to his Majesties Lawes and all good Order Government For prevention of the like disorders in the future We do hereby strictly Charge Require and Command all Magistrates Justices of the Peace Sheriffs and their Officers Constables and all other his Majesties Officers and loving Subjects whomsoever not only to permit the said Anthony Egan and his Servant quietly and peaceably to pass from place to place as they or either of them shall have occasion within this City and Suburbs or elsewhere in this Kingdom but in case they or either of them shall hereafter be Assaulted Abused or Disturbed or any manner of Violence or Injury offered unto them or either of them openly or privately they behaving themselves civilly as becometh Loyal Subjects to take apprehend and secure all such person or persons of what age condition or sort soever they are that shall be found offending as aforesaid in any kind and carry them before the Lord Mayor of this City or the next Justice of the Peace to the place where they shall be taken to be punished according to Law Given at his Majesties Castle in Dublin the 4th day of February 1672. Henry Forde This following Commendatory was given to the Author by his Superior a little before he was Converted to the Church of England TEnore praesentium licentiam concedo fratri patri Antonio Egano nostri instituti confessario eundi ad Commitatum de Clare circa quaedam negotio per agenda nobis nota quibus finitis sicut ipsi videbitur expediens revertatur praecipue commendo praefatum Antonium omnibus Christi fidelibus ad quos contigerit in via ut benigne charitative illum tanquam verum obedientiae filium recipiant 15. March 1670. Frater Carolus Mack Carty Guardianus