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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	church_n	rome_n	time_n	2,757	5	3.6827	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90668	St Paul's late progres upon earth, about a divorce 'twixt Christ and the Church of Rome, by reason of her dissolutenes and excesses. With the causes of these present commotions 'twixt the Pope, and the princes of Italy. A new way of invention agreeable to the times. Published by James Howell, Armig.; Divortio celeste. English.	Pallavicino, Ferrante, 1615-1644.; Howell, James, 1594?-1666.	1644 (1644)	Wing P212; Thomason E1174_2; ESTC R203120	41,006	172

distastes that have been given him by the Church of Rome and so requires a Divorce SEC. 3. The commands imposed upon Saint Paul to repaire to Earth to heare the grievances of Mortals and to frame an exact processe of the life and demeanures of the Romane Church SEC. The complaints of the Republicke of Lucca SEC. 5. The grievances of the Duke of Parma SEC. 6. The discontentments of the gran-Duke of Florence SEC. 7. A caution given the Republicke of Venice touching perpetuity of Legacies and the multiplicity of Pensions they give the Court of Rome SEC. 8. Reasons alleadged by the Signiory of Venice why she undertakes the punishing of Ecclesiasticall Delinquents SEC. 9. The complaint of Venice why that ancient Elogy of hers which was engraven in the Vatican was defac'd SEC. 10. A narration of the oppressions which the secular Subjects doe groane under in the state of the Church SEC. 11. The judgement of an Armenian and a Turke upon the Church of Rome SEC. 12. The Confession of a dying Cardinall SEC. 13. Motives for the late Marriage 'twixt the Cardinall of Savoy and the young Princesse his Neece SEC. 14. Touching prohibited Books SEC. 15. A Character given by an Angell of the capricious soule of Urban the eight SEC. 16. A Relation what Paul negotiated in Rome and how he left his sword behinde him SEC. 17. The complaint of a Nun who describes the infelicity of that condition of life SEC. 18. A cursory Relation of these late distempers in Italy The Authors Caution to the tender conscienc'd CHRISTIAN THe Author who composed this present Booke hath peradventure more religious thoughts and fuller of piety than thou canst imagine hereby O serupulous Christian But the malignity of the times is come to that height that he is cryed up in a manner for a Hereticke who consents not to the operations whatsoever they be of the Court of Rome The cause hereof is thy simplicity which confounding in one the authority and the affections of Popes canst not distinguish which are the operations of the one and which are the operations of the other The Bishop of Rome may erre as he is a man and being subject to errour who dare maintaine but he may be reprehended Christ who knew no sinne could be content to be crucified and a Bishop who is composed of peccable humanity and who perhaps sinnes every day must thinke it strange if he be but censur'd by any just reproofe David was not so dainty the most ancient Pillars of the Primitive Church who were went with humble retribution of thanks not with proud disdaine to listen unto the zealous corrections of others Poore St Bernard if he had corrected the exorbitances of these times with that liberty as he inveighed against the abuses of his owne assuredly his name should be seene registred in the Index of prohibited Books rather than in the Catalogue of Saints But such dangers cannot dastardize me neither am I induc'd to write this to justifie my owne intentions it being sufficient for me that God onely knowes the intrinsicals of my meaning But I thought fit O scrupulous Christian to offer thee this present Booke as an Instrument which haply may have power to unbeguile thy simplicity from those too credulous opinions whence the presumption of some is fomented to disturbe Italy and to scandalize all such that have a right understanding in Christianity If things which bring profit with them doe use to be gratefull I despaire not altogether of thy good acceptance of this I know that at first sight the Title will appeare unto thee somewhat irreligious and the Argument not savouring of much piety but the Palate must not be Iudge of the Physicke I desire thee not to frame any judgement upon 't till thou hast perus'd the whole Booke wherein if any thing conduce to make thee despise the true Catholicke Religion or her Tenets I am content thou should'st condemne both the Worke and the Author But if thou be taught to detest onely the ill practises of those that infringe the Law of Christ thou must not impute any prophanenesse to that zeale which deplores the abuses in Religion Many were condemn'd for Heretickes who have writ against the Rites of the Church of Rome but he must not incurre the same censure who writes onely against them that doe not rightly observe those Rites for there is a great deale of difference 'twixt the blaming of externe observances and the violation of religion her self O but thou wilt say this Booke is against the Bishop of Rome thou must distinguish O scrupulous Reader 't is against the affections of the said Bishop I reverence the authority but Christ hath not oblig'd me to reverence any earthly exorbitant passions of his And if others doe lawfully take the sword in hand against such passions I hope it is veniall for me to take the pen Nor thinke it strange that I have imagined a Colloquy 'twixt the Persons of the Holy Trinity for 't is the stile of sacred writ to accommodate it selfe to humane capacity Live happy The Heavenly Divorce occasioned by the loosenesse of the Roman Spouse The PREFACE THou deceiv'st thy selfe O misbeleeving man if thou art perswaded that thy impieties mount not up above the Stars to disturbe the repose of Heaven Turne thy eyes if thou hast not altogether lost thy faith in holy Writ and thou shalt see the Son of God dragg'd and nayl'd upon a Crosse by the sin of one man who might in some kind have made himselfe excusable for his transgression in regard it was his first fault as also because he was then but a Novice in the World But what shall we say now Iniquity being found to be so multiplyed and spread through the whole Vniverse that to sin and consequently to offend God cannot be said to be a thing accidentall but the very naturall property of man O perverse World which under the title of naturall propertie dost lessen that wicked transgression which was enough to bring down from life to death thy own Creator If thou then giv'st credit to this wonder not to heare those new changes which being stirr'd in Christ by the faylings of the Roman Spouse have produc'd those strange effects which thou shalt find represented in this Book Saint Pauls late Progres upon Earth SECT. 1. The Eternall Father doth reason with his Son and asks whence proceeds the Originall of his distaste with the Roman Church his Spouse perswading him to a reconcilement NOt by the Embassie of an Angel as at other times O Eternall Word but it is necessary now that by this paternall voice the will of Heaven be manifested In a busines that presseth so much 't is fitting the Father should discourse freely with his Son that the Son should hearken with attention to that which concernes the glory of his Throne 'T is a good while since O my only begotten Son that I observ'd that amorous flame which was us'd to be

Christian But if Pagans yea Atheists perceiving their own errors have hopes to be saved why should I despair This is the only argument of my hopes although I think the salvation of an Infidell more easie then that of a perverse Christian because my soul finds at this very moment that the understanding is more easily illuminated then the will humbled and rectified being too tenacious of her delights in those pleasures which she must now relinquish with the Hat But Father my spirit fayles me give me an absolution for I feel my self upon point of expiring SECT. XIII Saint Paul having comforted the dying Cardinall goes to Loretto where he is detain'd some dayes by the rain there he fals into the friendship of a Minister of Savoy who return'd from Rome with a dispensation obtain'd for a marriage 'twixt the Prince Cardinall Maurice and the Princesse his Nee●● and being question'd about it he makes that following relation THere are not many yeares that the Houseof Savoy hath complied according to the custom of Princes with the ambition of the Court of Rome by receiving a Cardinals Hat in the person of Prince Maurice not by way of vocation that he should have this for an Ecclesiasticall life but to secure the posterity of the elder brother from all aspirings and 〈◊〉 jealousies and dangers This Prince then did frame his Customs sutable to the life that he had propos'd to himself and to shun the better the troubles of those warlike spirits which use to be naturally of his race he resolv'd to retire himself to Rome esteeming this City the rendevouz of repose and center of tranquillity for all Church-men Poor Prince he was herein mightily deceiv'd for he was put to suffer such termes of incivillity from the indiscretions of the Barberini that oftentimes he repented to have underlaid the decorum of his nativity to the handling of persons so meanly born The ill satisfaction which he received hapned every day so that one time breathing out his passions unto me he said thus I cannot but blame the Roman Church because she useth to confer the Papacy most commonly upon men that for the obscurity of their birth cannot adapt themselves to treat with Princes Wherunto I answered you cannot blame the Church while she follows the institutions of Christ who conferr'd the ministry of the Apostleship upon people of the meanest rank But they rather are to be blam'd who with the ministry of the Apostleship receive no more that holy Spirit which at other times did sanctifie and indoctrinat poor Fisher-men in the art of catching the benevolence of Princes and the affections of whole entire Provinces So I answered But the distasts of this Prince requir'd further satisfaction A fancy took him at last to return to Savoy wher being come he found the Court so rent into faction by the domestick grudges betwixt the brother Tomaso the Cosin Mother and the Tutres of the pupill Duke that he concluded within himself that some Princes may be born never to find peace He was constrain'd not being able to stand neutrall to declare himself for the Brothers side wherupon he obtain'd the government of the most important County of Nizza Many accidents well known to the world fell out since from the dis-union of this Cosins bloud the interesses of two Crowns now in Enmity interposing when the Stars changing their Aspects turn'd discord into love and hatred into union Some sparks of amorous complacency began to kindle in the breast of the Prince Cardinall towards the tender person of his Neece And he was solicited so far that at last he resolv'd to renounce the Hatt to get her for his Spouse Nor did the regards of affinity of bloud or of disparity of years oppose this resolution because as the one was held feasable in Rome though with some expence so the other did not fall under any consideration amongst them who with the eye of prudence and policy foresee the benefit which will arise out of this marriage to settle the peace of Savoy Matters then being brought to such termes I an ancient servant of the House was imployed to Rome as a Messenger of the Renunciation and a procurer of the Dispensation which having obtain'd with more facility and lesse charge then I could expect I determin'd at my return to passe by this holy place to give Heaven thanks for the successefull issue of my negotiation and for the consolation which I reap by the peace of others But me thinks O Reverend Father to see you listen to this story with too austere a look as if you judg'd it strange for a Cardinall of the holy Church to renounce the Hat to marry with his own Neece Father excuse me if you were vers'd in the practises of Rome you would thank the divine providence and ascribe to an effect transcending human vertue that that Cardinals Hat did not infuse into Prince Maurice his head worse affections than these SECT. XIV Saint Paul directs his cours from Loretto to Rome In his lodging by the way he over-hears two persons reasoning one with the other in this manner FRiend you afflict your self too much for the prohibition which was lately made of your Books in Rome if laying aside the heat of passion you will lend your ears to my words I shall perchance make you know that as the times are a more desiderable fortnne could not befall the pains of your pen nor a greater glory to the sweat of your wit The title of prohibition considered in it's own essence is not as ev'ry one imagines either shamefull or infamous for were it so the Tree of Life which was prohibited to our first Parents and the Terrestriall Paradise which was prohibited to all mankind should partake of the infamy and shame As also the holy scripture vulgariz'd which is prohibited to the simple and certain reliques which are prohibited to all prophane hands In summe all those things which are prohibited either by nature or by the Law to our appetit or desires should be infamous He is deceiv'd who breaths with such an opinion for prohibition of it self can bring with it neither honor nor dishonor but he that considers this point seriously will find that 't is not the prohibition but the cause of it that renders a man glorious or infamous therfore it behooves you to know why the Court of Rome hath prohibited your Books and then to frame a judgment whither such a prohibition may bring you in the opinion of men of sound understanding either discredit or a good name and so either affliction or contentment The causes have bin divers why Rome hath accustom'd from time to time to prohibit Books The most ancient causes were a zeal to preserve the purity of Religion and a care that the lives of Christians should not be corrupted with those Doctrins that an ill Author may suggest The modern causes are an aversion that some great ones have that their vices should be reprehended