Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	call_v	part_n	write_v	2,879	5	5.4197	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69815	Concerning the nevv chvrch discipline, and excellent letter written by Mr. George Cranmer to Mr. R. H.	Cranmer, George, 1563-1600.	1642 (1642)	Wing C6826; ESTC R4082	8,450	28

CONCERNING THE NEVV CHVRCH DISCIPLINE AN EXCELLENT LETTER Written by Mr GEORGE CRANMER to Mr R. H. Printed in the yeare 1642. THE WORDS OF THE learned Mr CAMBDEN in his Annals of Queene ELIZABETH Anno 42. concerning this Author Mr G. Cranmer THis Cranmer whose christen name was George was a Gentleman of singular hopes the eldest sonne of Thomas Cranmer sonne of Edmund Cranmer the Arch-bishops brother He spent a good part of his youth in Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford where he proceeded and continued Master of Arts of sixe yeares standing before he removed and then betook himselfe to Secretary Davison After whose fall he went in place of Secretary with Sir Henry Killegrew in his Embassage into France And after his death he accompanied that worthy and learned Gentleman Sir Edwin Sands in his travels into France Germany Italy and other parts by the space of three yeares And after his returne was sought after by the most Noble Lord Mountjoy with whom he went into Ireland where he remained untill his unfortunate death in a Battell against the Rebells neare Carlingford cut off the great hopes conceived of him CONCERNING the new Church Government WHat posterity is likely to judge of these matters concerning Church-discipline wee may the better conjecture if wee call to mind what our own age within few yeares 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 Bookes then written for the most part favoured of the disciplinary stile it sounded every where in pulpits and in the common phrase of mens speech the contrary part began to feare they had taken a wrong course many which impugned the discipline yet so impugned it not as not being the better forme of government but as not so convenient for our State in regard of dangerous innovations thereby likely to grow One man alone there was to speake of whom let no suspition of flattery deprive of his deserved commendation Who in the diffidence of the one part and courage of the other stood in the gap and gave others respite to prepare themselves to their defence which by the sudden eagernesse and violence of their adversaries had otherwise been prevented Wherein God hath made good unto him his owne emprese Vincit qui patitur for what contumelious indignities he hath at their hands sustained the world is witnesse and what reward of honour above his adversaries God hath bestowed upon him themselves though nothing glad thereof must needs confesse Now of late yeares the heate of men towards the Discipline is greatly decaied their iudgments begin to sway on the other side the learned haue weighed it and found it light wise men conceiue some feare lest 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 drawen from the generall nature of error disguised and clothed with the name of truth which is mightily and violently to possesse men at first but afterwards the weaknesse thereof being by time discovered to loose 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 roomes within so by the very name of Discipline and Reformation men were drawen at first to cast a fancy towards it but now they have not contented themselves only to passe by and behold a farre off the forefront of this reformed house they have entred in even at the speciall request of the Master workmen and chiefe Builders thereof they have perused the roomes the lights the conveniences they finde them not answerable to that report which was made of them nor to that opinion which upon report they had conceived So as now the Discipline which at first triumphed over all being unmasked beginneth to droope and hang downe 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 begining The first degree was only some small difference about Cap and Surplesse but not such as either bred division in the Church or tended to the ruine of the government then established This was peaceable the next degree more stirring Admonitions were directed to the Parliament in peremptory sort against our whole forme of Regiment In defence of them volumes were published in English 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 1. That whereas T. C. and others his great Masters had alwaies before set out the discipline as a Queen and as the daughter of God he contrariwise to make her more acceptable to the people brought her forth as a vice upon the stage 2. Which conceit of his was grounded as may be supposed upon this rare policie that seeing the Discipline was by writing refuted in Parliament rejected in secret corners hunted out and descried it was imagined that by open railing which to the vulgar is commonly most plausible the state Ecclesiasticall might have been drawen into such contempt and hatred as the overthrow thereof should have been most gratefull to all men and in a manner desired of the common people 3. It may be noted and this I know my selfe 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 acknowledging therein the secret judgements of God against the Bps 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 extreamly 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 further to proceed A further degree of outrage was in fact Certain Prophets did arise who deeming it not possible that God should suffer that 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 meanes of deliverance ordinary were faine to perswade themselves that God must needs raise some extraordinary meanes and being perswaded of none so well as of themselves they forthwith must needs be the