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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	church_n	scripture_n	3,566	5	6.5669	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73049	Englands pvrginge fire Conteyninge two petitions, the one to the Kinges most excellent Majesty, the other to the High Courte of Parliament held at this tyme in England. Shewinge in diverse perticulers, how the Church in England might be ordered, yet more conformably to the Will of God reveiled in his worde then at this day it is. Herewithall is declared, the evell and lamentable effects of our vnable and negligent ministers: and the happy fruict of our learned and painefull pastors. A worke most needefull for theise tymes, as servinge to turne away the wrath and iudgements of God from this lande, through the removinge, (accordinge to the advertisements herein given) such disorders and evells, as for which the wrath of God may be, and is, kindled against this Land, and the church therein.	Proctor, Thomas, fl. 1621.	1621 (1621)	STC 20408.5; ESTC S124597	53,590	98

Musick and vvith the sight of the Stately ordetinge and perfourmance of things but this without caringe at any tyme to vvorshipp God in the Spirit and vvith the understandinge so that they onely stand gazinge thinkinge it a sufficient worshipp if they have but bene there seene Divine Service But as this evell in Gods people cannot but be displeasinge to God so surely if some good order be not taken for redress hereof it cannot but endanger the Lords acceptance of the very Service its selfe for it is not so much the Service vvherein a few vvorship as the vvorship of many in Spirit that he regards Thus havinge vvritten of my first petition I humbly pray that I may proceede to the second If onely Art be heeded in them admitted Ministers in the Divine Service as if so they be skillfull then it matters not what their lives and conversations be then vvhen any prophane or irreligiously disposed Persons are admitted we from experience cann hardly expect other then that their unsanctified Soules will bringe fourth as prophaness in their life and conversation abroade so irreverence and a measure of prophaness in the very execution of their parts in the Divine vvorshipp But when people see irreverence or any measure prophaness in the Ministers it abates their devotion and is no smale Scandall to the Service its selfe Therefore I humbly petition that our Bishops have not care that they reverently perfourme their parts in the Service onely but also that they or the Deanes doe inquire of their life and conversation abroade also out of the Church for if abroade in their howses or common company they be wanton lascivious or prophane no Awe will serve to restreine that in the Service also their disposition breake not fourth upon every little advantage or opportunity to shew the same If therefore our Bishopps and Deanes Inquire after the common life and conversation of such what it is abroade out of the Church if also they inquire whither in their familyes they use or neglect religious Dutyes such as are eveninge Praier at leastwise Grace before after meate readinge the Divine Scriptures Repeatinge of Sermons some tymes and some tymes Chatechisinge then this would Awe them to exercise themselvs to a Holiness of life and conversation Especially if as they shall be founde conformable or disorderly so they shall be admitted or put by the Service Yea it were good that an exhortation were given to all that if any of them knowe any amonge them to be loose and lascivious of Speach prophane in conversation or negligent of religious Dutyes in their familyes they should informe the Bishop or Deane of the same that so the party may be observed as occasion is given be proceeded against Verily it greately endangers the Service both towards God and towards Men when the Ministers of the same are knowen to be wicked Men in their life and conversation for it cannot be but that the Lord should turne his face even from a good Service executed by such if authority allowe such to be Ministers therein as who commonly are knowen to be wicked of life and conversation Neither cann it be but that the people also should take such offence at such as that even the very Service also shall well neere be sorsaken If theise things therefore Dread Soveraigne be carefully seene unto I nothinge doubt but that our Divine Servico now used in our Cathedrall Churches will both be more acceptable to God then heretofore and also more conscionably and religiously then heretosote srequented by your people I may here add the like petition against our Clearkes of Parishes who commonly beinge of the lewdest of the Partish for life and conversation doe also so irreverently unskilfully and unseemely perfourme their Office that the people of God cannot but take offence there at and this to the scandall of the Service its selfe of out Church To conclude my Collections together with my observatiōs upon theise collected Scriptures I now humbly petition that as here it is said That the Kinge and the Princes commanded c so as in your Presence your selfe see to theise things so likewise in places remote from your sacred Presence your Princes and Magistrats by commission from you may have power and Authority to see that Divine Service be celebrated orderly and reverently throughout the Kingedome So vvill our Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall Officers be the more carefull that just cause of reproofe be not given not just cause of your Princes and Magistrates proceeding against any for disorders and unseemely perfourmance of Dutyes THeise Collections most mighty and Dread Soveraigne I have made out of sacred Scripture thereby in some speciall perticulets to shew how Gods Kinges and Princes in that antient Church under the Lawe tooke care of and by their Authority ordered even Ecclesiasticall things also pertayninge to the Divine vvorship and service Hereupon I have adventured to note unto your Majestic diverse weighty perticulers wherein this our Church of Englande needeth the redress of your powerfull hande If therefore you vouchsafe to be assistant unto the Church of God in theise things you shall surely bynde the same unto you to hold your Memory blessed for ever for by orderinge these things you shall both restore the Ordinances of God to his church and dispose rightly the extents of our Cleargy Iurisdictions you shall further the Preachinge of the Ghospel in all places of this Lande and also be the Meanes not of a pompous Service onely but of a Stately Magnificent Holy Proffitable vvorshipp of God Which beinge done it will be no less your Glory that preventinge the abuse of your and your Peoples Bounty by our Cleargy the Cleargy have a large and rich Revenewe togeather with Dignityes and Honors among your Nobles Gentry I neede not here prove from evidence of holy Scripture that Kings and Princes under the Christianity are confirmed by God in the same Offices which the Kinges under the Lawe executed this I shall prove elsew here where I have occasion to write of this subiect to those who as yet are so deluded of Papall leasings that they acknowledge not the same but your Majestie professinge your knowledge hereof and practisinge in your Kingedomes accordinge to such know ledge I neede but to certify of some things only which even to this day neede redress in this our church of England If it be obiected that I move unto Changes that Changes are ever dangerous in Kingedomes I then humbly pray your Majestie to consider that I move to no Changes but such as which the evidence of the will of God in Seripture witnesseth unto And what the Glory of Changes made under the Reformation accordinge to the vvorde of the Lord in Scripture hath bene the whole worlde now seeth your Majestie enjoyeth and inheriteth the Glory and Power of the same Doubtless without a greate Change and the same very strange dangerous we had had

there is not usually holy exercises perfourmed But yet because the very Showe of Godliness is good not onely for an evidence to Pastors of the prevailinge of Gods Grace in their Parishioners but also for examples sake to others as servinge to provoake or incite one family by another in the use of such pious exercises and Showe of Godliness it is very behoovefull that families have their publick holy exercises at convenient seazons Indeede some of those who most use theise pious family exercises make Religion a weariness to their family by so continually drawinge them in every minute of tyme wherein they worke not to theise exercises that they leave no time for their familyes recreation and refreshment by sportinge dancinge usinge exercises of Activity or exercises of danger for animatinge them to valiancy and other like Thus by an extreame a vice growes and this both to the hurte of the family and also to the scandall of the Ghospell of Christe for some erroneously conceavinge that Religion cannot stande with such things they make their Children servants dull and slowe of motion and unsit for the defence of the Kingedome and of the Church and others thinkinge that the Ghospell admits not such things make the Ghospels yoake heavier then the Lord would have it and so make the people take offēce therat Yea som have raised a reproach caused themselvs to be a by-worde through their puttinge the bridle of their owne worde in peoples mouths restreyninge them in thinges which Gods vvorde restreynes them not in such Men doe both themselvs and also the Ghospell wronge The Scriptures declare the Lord not to dislike but rather to approve of sportinges Gen. 26 8 dancings Exod. 15 20 Iudges 11 34 37 and of exercises of Activity Iudges 20 16 1. Chron. 12 2 therefore none ought by a vvorde of their owne to restreyn Gods people in such things Such Men would make conscience to doe as David did who for the rescue of a sheepe would followe after a Beare and after a Lion but this exposinge a Mans selfe to such dangers even upon such causes the Scripture rather approves then condemnes Surely the Scripture commendinge as an Ornament and Honor of Kingedomes that there are Active valiant Men in the same 1. Chron. 12 1 it doth consequently allow of such hazardous exercises as incyte move Men to a valiant exposinge themselvs to dangers therefore the baitinge of Bulls of Beares and huntinge of vvilde Beasts and the like are not to be condemned to be used by Gods people If any evell be done or evell Speach hearde in the usinge of theise things let that indeede be reproved and punished but let not Gods people be debarred from the use of theise lawfull things under pretence that Religion and Holiness will not stande with such thinges Would God that they that use theise things would say and resolve and profess that seinge God is gratious to allowe them to sporte to dance to use exercises for Activity and even unto danger for animatinge of them to valiancy therefore he should not be dishonored by any in the use of them for surely if Gods people did this the Lord would delight in his peoples exercisinge themselvs in theise things True it is Mans corrupt nature is such as that hardly it cann use theise things without takinge Liberty with all both to forget God and also to put away his feare in the tyme of their makinge use of theise things but if Masters of families and publick Governours as also their Pastors would teach them frequently to minde the Lord and to have care in their hearts not to displease him in their usinge theise things as also would be ready to reprove and punish any that should dishonor God in the tyme of the use of theise things then the corruption of nature would be kept downe herein as in other things hereby for the Awe of Goverment changeth the Manners which a depraved Nature is apt to bringe fourth And why should not every one of every family thinke with themselvs that as to doe or say oughts in their sportinges one with another or family with family or neighbours vvith neighbours vvhich vvould displease their Masters and also their Magistrats knewe they thereof were the next way to be deprived of theise Solaces and Refreshments so to displease God is likewise the next way to make him also to deprive them of them and to plague the Land and them Therefore people should use theise things as by Gods permission havinge an Awe of God in their hearts not to permit or doe any thinge in the use of them which is truly a breach of any of Gods Commandements As for the Sabbaoth day vvhereas some use exercises of violence unto Blood such as are baiting of bulls or beares cudgell playinge other like theise though they be lawfull at other tymes yet not on the Sabbaoth more harmeless solaces delights befits the same both for conveniency also for that it is a rest aswell to Beasts as to Men the like I might say for hobby-horses and men in vvomens apparell but this indeede unlawfull vvhich our Maygaimes commonly use for even in indifferent things there may be a fitness not to use them on the Lords Sabbaoth day Theise things I thought good to touch at here because men are apt to erre by an erroneous restreinte aswell as by an erroneous liberty-takinge Againe I finde in those who most use holy and religious dutyes a custome of long prayinge as if they would make a custome or get a Name for great prayinge whereas the Lord doth in Scripture declare himselfe to delight in shorte praiers tendinge to the present occasions of praying vvhich also are fittest for the Spirits attendance thereto and to be made in faith of that praied for There is no truth in praier when the Spirit and faith accompany not the things praied for neither cann they conveniently accompany longe and tedions praiers In Congregations indeede there must be in the Pastor a sence of and praier for publick offences Benefits and the very rehearsing of many perticulers is there truly needefull but in the private family the occasion of the prayinge vvhither it be for the morninge or eveninge is especially to be tendered though som other perticulers for the common wealth may also breifely be remembred Thus have I noted some evells whereinto some the most devoute are apt to fall that so such evells may be prevented but yet if this Care be taken against theise evells it would be very proffitable that every family aparte use its selfe to such Religious Dutyes For for vvant of accoustominge a family hereto vve fynde that Men goinge to church and comminge from thence make that all their Religion for all the vveeke after never thinkinge any more of any thinge learned at the Church nor caringe to doe in the vveeke as they vvere at Church taught to doe vvhereas if at home the family