Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	church_n	england_n	time_n	2,923	5	3.6256	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78664	Aurea dicta. The gratious words of King Charles I. of glorious memory: for the Protestant religion of the Church of England. / Collected out of [Eikon basilike].; Eikon basilike. Selections.	Gauden, John, 1605-1662.; Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649.	1682 (1682)	Wing C2150A; ESTC R225066	8,372	22

Covenant with that former Protestation which was so lately taken to maintain the Religion established in the Church of England since they count Discipline so great a part of Religion I am prone to believe and hope that many who took the Covenant are yet firm to this judgment That such later vows Oaths or Leagues can never blot out those former Gravings and Characters which by just and lawful Oaths were made upon their Souls As for the Reformation of the Church which the Covenant pretends I cannot think it just or comely that by the partial Advice of a few Divines of so soft and servile tempers as disposed them to sudden acting and compliance contrary to their former judgments such foul Scandals and Suspitions should be cast upon the Doctrine and Government of the Church of England as was never done that I have heard by any that deserved the name of Reformed Churches abroad nor by any men of learning or Candor at home all whose judgments I cannot but prefer before any men's now factiously engaged No man can be more forward than my self to carry on all due Reformation with mature jud●ment and a good Conscience in what things I shall after impartial Advice be by God's Word and right Reason convinced to be amiss And I have offer'd more than the fullest freest and wisest Parliaments did desire But the sequel of some mens Actions makes it evident that the main Reformation intended is the abaseing of Episcopacy into Presbytery and the robbing the Church of its lands and revenues Still I see while the breath of Religion fills the Sails profit is the compass by which factious men steer their course in all seditious commotions I thank God as no man lay more upon to temptations of usurping the Church lands and revenues so I have always had such a perfect abhorrence of it in my Soul that I never found the least inclination to such sacrilegious reformings Yet no man hath a greater desire to have Bishops and all Church-men so reformed that they may best deserve and use not only what the pious Munificence of my Predecessors hath given to God and the Church but all other additions of Christian Bounty But no necessity shall ever I hope drive Me or Mine to invade or sell the Priest's Lands which both Pharaoh's Divinity and Joseph's true Piety abhorr'd to do So unjust I think it both in the Eye of Reason and Religion to deprive the most sacred employment of all due encouragements and like the other hard-hearted Pharaoh to withdraw the Straw and encrease the Task So pursuing the oppressed Church as some have done to the Red-Sea of a Civil War where nothing but a Miracle can save it or Him who esteems his greatest Title to be called and his chiefest Glory to be The Defender of the Church both in its true Faith and its just Fruitions equally abhorring Sacriledge and Apostacy XV. Vpon the Scandals cast upon the King It was a great part of some mens Religion to scandalize Me and Mine They thought theirs could not be true if they cryed not down mine as false I thank God I have had more tryal of his Grace as to the constancy of my Religion in the Protestant Profession of the Church of England both abroad and at home than ever they are like to have Nor do I know any exception I am so liable to in their opinion as too great a fixedness in that Religion whose judicious and solid grounds both from Scripture and Antiquity will not give my Conscience leave to approve or consent to those many dangerous and divided Innovations which the bold ignorance of some men would needs obtrude upon Me and my People contrary to those well-tryed Foundations both of Truth and Order which men of far greater learning and clearer Zeal have setled in the Confession and Constitution of this Church in England which many former Parliaments in the most calm and unpassionate times have oft confirmed In which I shall ever by Gods help persevere XVI Vpon the Ordinance against the Common prayer-Prayer-Book Tho I am not against a grave modest discreet and humble use of Ministers Gifts even in publick the better to fit and excite their own and the peoples affections to the present occasions Yet I know no necessity why private and single Abilities should quite justle out and deprive the Church of the joynt Abilities and concurrent gifts of many learned and godly men such as the Composers of the service-Service-Book were who may in all reason be thought to have more of Gifts and Graces enabling to Compose with serious deliberation and concurrent advice such Forms of Prayer as may best fit the Churches common wants inform the Hearers understanding and stir up that fiduciary and fervent Application of their Spirits wherein consists the very Life and Soul of Prayer then any private man by his solitary Abilities can be presumed to have The want of Liturgy I believe this Church will sufficiently feel when the unhappy fruits of many mens ungovern'd ignorance and confident defects shall be discover'd in more errours Schisms disorders and uncharitable distractions in Religion which are already but too many the more 's the pitty One of the greatest faults some men found with our common-prayer-Common-prayer-book I believe was this That it taught them to pray so oft for Me for which Petitions they had not Loyalty enough to say Amen nor yet Charity enough to forbear reproaches and even cursing of Me in their own Forms instead of praying for Me. I wish their Repentance may be their only punishment XVII Of the Differences in point of Church Government I must now in Charity be thought desirous to preserve that Government in its right Constitution as a Matter of Religion Wherein my Judgment is fully satisfied that it hath of all other the fullest Scripture Grounds and also the constant Practice of all Christian Churches till of late years They must give me leave having none of their temptations to alter the Government of Bishops that I may have a Title to their Estates not to believe their pretended grounds to any new wayes contrary to the full and constant Testimony of all Histories sufficiently convincing unbiassed men Not that I am against the managing of this Presidency and Authority in one man by the joynt Counsel and Consent of many Presbyters I have offerd to restore that as a fit means to avoid those Errors Corruptions Partialities which are incident to any one man also to avoid Tyranny which becomes no Christian least of all Church-men Besides it will be a means to take away that burden and Odium of affairs which may lay too heavy upon one mans Shoulders as indeed I think it did formerly on the Bishops here For those secular Additaments and Ornaments of Authority Civil Honour and Estate which my Predecessors and Christian Princes in all Countries have annexed to Bishops and Church-men I look upon them but as just Rewards of their Learning and Piety who