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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	great_a	king_n	1,863	5	3.5392	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61448	The spirit of the church-faction detected, in its nature and operations more particularly in the mystery of the convocation-book lately published and exposed to the view and censure of the world by the late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and the progress of the faction, and the mischiefs thereof, the late civil war, and our present disappointments.	Stephens, Edward, d. 1706.	1691 (1691)	Wing S5443; ESTC R24618	38,051	52

his so easie access to the Crown of England And it no less filled the Hearts of others with Hopes and Expectations some of Honours some of Places and Estates and some of both which his Prodigality of both yet more inlarged and Emulation raised to the highest degree These Emulations were partly National between the Scotch and English and partly among the English themselves and those of two sorts such as at the Court sought Preferment in the State and such as sought either Preferment in the Church or Favour in Church matters So that he was addressed to and courted by all Parties for his Favour in an extraordinary manner and by most in the usual methods of Courtship viz. Magnifying his Wisdom and his State and Power beyond Truth and Modesty insinuating into him all the Prejudice that might be against those who were looked upon as Rivals and recommending their own specious Services by misrepresenting the Modesty of others for want of affection And so gross notorious and impudent were the Acts of this Courtship as provoked the House of Commons in the very first Parliament to make a Declaration of their Grief to find his Majesty to the extream prejudice of his Subjects of England so greatly wronged by Misinformation and among other things concerning the Rights and Liberties of his Subjects of England and the Priviledges of Parliament which they there assert but belong not to this place to be here recited Among the Competitors for his Favour were many serious religious people who sought his Favour only for the Reformation of some things in the Church which were thought not so throughly reformed as was to be wished And for that purpose prepared a Petition which was subscribed by many hundred hands They had encouraged themselves upon the Favour the King had formerly shewed them in writing to the Queen on their behalf and they had had an Agent with him immediately upon the Queens death to whom without doubt he gave a fair and smooth Answer But some of the Bishops were not behind hand with them in Scotland and soon outwent them in the Success of their Courtship and his Favour after he came into England He had conceived a Prejudice against a Scotch Presbytery before This Bancroft and some other hot men took advantage of both to heighten the prejudice against all who desired any thing of a Reformation here and to insinuate themselves into his Favour And when he found himself received and securely settled in the Throne beyond his Expectation he soon discover'd his Inclinations and more particularly in his Proclamation 24 Oct. 1603. Concerning such as seek Reformation in Church matters Which stopp'd the Petition for some time and in the Conference at Hampton-Court 14 Jan. which whether appointed at the instance of any others or at the Kings own pleasure is uncertain but served as appears by the Relation principally for the King to express his Favour to the Bishops and Conforming party and his Prejudice against the rest and for them to express their Respects to him as some of them did by speaking to him upon the knee viz. Whitgift and Bancroft and applauding what he said as undoubtedly spoken by the special assistance of Gods Spirit and for mutual Courtship and Indearments between them But though they were never so well assured of the Kings Favour yet were they fearful of the Parliament which had often in the Queens Time been upon Bills against Pluralities and for Reformation of other matters which though the Archbishop by the Queens means had prevailed to have stopped yet was he so concerned that he wished he might not live to see another Parliament And this disposed Them not only by way of Complement as a means to recommend themselves to the King but in good earnest for their own Interest being well assured of his Favour to magnifie the Kings Authority and set it as high as might be even without the concurrence of the Parliament and to derogate as much as they durst from their Authority And this again so much the more disposed the King to favour Them not politickly in apperance only but in good earnest as the most apt Instruments he could have for his Designs which appear by many plain instances to have been from his first coming in to set up himself by his Arts and Kingcraft above all Law and for that end to confirm and enlarge the Authority of the Bishops and Clergy which depended upon him for their Preferment as much as might be to make them the more capable to serve his turn And these are the true Principles which have produced and raised this Faction to what it is For upon these Principles were things managed by a secret Correspondence between him and some leading men of the Clergy Accordingly in the next Convocation after they had provided in the first Cannon for asserting his Supremacy according to the Law of the Land against all forreign Jurisdiction in the next Canon they set it up paramount the Law and without the Parliament to be the same Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical that the godly Kings had among the Jews and Christian Emperours in the Primitive Church and might with as much reason have asserted as much concerning his Authority in Civil matters if they durst for both depend upon the same Principles but that both he and they knew very well would never have passed without being taken notice of and question'd in Parliament And therefore there was another Project to help that out carried on with great Artifice and Secrecy in the same Convocation which at last hath appeared in print published by the late Archbishop under the Title of Bishop Overals Convocation Book though he was no Bishop in seven years after it pass'd the Convocation The chief purpose of which is pretended to be to imitate the Scriptures in setting out and describing the Dignity of our Saviour Christ by his Almighty Power and Vniversal Government of all the World as they say in the beginning But they tell us not what Occasion they had to do this in so solemn a manner The King in his Letter lately published to good Dr. Abbot who probably was not acquainted with the Intreigue tells them You know all of you as I think that my Reason of calling you together was to give your Judgments How far a Christian and a Protestant King may concur to assist his Neighbours to shake off their Obedience to their own Soveraign upon the account of Oppression Tyranny or what else you like to name it Nor does there appear any just Occasion for this For if it be well considered it was not War but a Treaty of Peace between the Hollanders and Spain which was then under consideration Nor does the Form of the Book suit with a meer Resolution of such a Doubt For it is one thing to give a Judgment or Opinion of a Case of Conscience and another to make Canons and Decrees Nor lastly is the matter of it proportionable only

decree that the Order of Kings is of Divine Right the Ordinance of God founded in the prime Laws of Nature and clearly established by express Texts of Scripture That a Supream Power is given to this Order by God himself to command all and punish with the Temporal Sword all stubborn and wicked doers That the care of God's Church is committed to Kings in Scripture and her Government belongs in chief to Kings That the Power to call and dissolve Councils is the true Right of all Christian Kings That to avow in any of their Realms any Independant Coactive Power either Papal or Popular is to undermine their Regal Office That for Subjects to bear Arms against their King upon any pretence whatsoever is at least to resist the Powers which are ordained of God That Tribute Custom c. and all manner of support and supply is due to Kings from their Subjects by the Law of God Nature and Nations c. And they ordain this to be read by every Parson c. every quarter of the Year under pain of suspension and that no Ecclesiastical or Academical Person shall maintain or abett any Position in opposition or Impeachment of any part thereof under pain of Excommunication Now if this be true which they have decreed then have all Kings the same Power jure divino which cannot be restrain'd by any humane Constitution then are all those Constitutions of Government whereby a limited Power only is given to the King though settled by solemn Agreement and mutual Oaths for Observation and Performance thereof all void as to any Limitations as derogatory to the Law of God and the King may and must use his Power which he hath jure divino and then are all those who insist upon any Right by any such Laws which is inconsistent with that Plenitude of Royal Power jure divino factious and seditious and to be punished with the Temporal Sword as stubborn and wicked doers But if all Forms of Government when throughly settled have Gods Authority and the Powers that be in each be ordained of God if Publick Pacts and Agreements by which Governments are usually constituted and ratified are to be observed inviolably jure naturali and if Solemn Oaths by which Pacts and Agreements are usually confirmed and made as Sacred and Inviolable as may be are to be observed most religiously and jure divino then is their Doctrine false factious and seditious and tending to the Subversion or Disturbance of most Kingdoms in this Part of the World and of our own in particular and was therefore justly condemned by the next Parliament then is the Church of England in Convocation and her Doctrine no less fallible than the Church of Rome and then was that Faction the great Occasion of our late Civil Wars by misleading the Consciences of the King and of a great part of the People of great Abuses by Declarations and Clauses inconsistent with the Constitution of our Government obtruded into divers Acts of Parliament and of many illegal Arbitrary Acts in the Reigns since is still the occasion of our Civil Dissentions and Unsettlement and of much of our Disappointments under the present Government at this day and will continue so to be till either some good Counsel and Resolution put an end to it or it produce another Civil War For while Princes and some part of the People shall be perswaded upon pretended Principles of Religion that the Regal Power is Jure Divino above all Humane Laws and the rest know that it anciently hath been and to this day is very different all over the World in all Kingdoms according to their several Constitutions in some more absolute as the Eastern and the Roman Emperors in others very little as divers of the Northern and particularly the German from whom the English descended who acted in Council Authoritate suadendi magis quam Jubendi Potestate and that by the English Constitution it is limited and confined to the observance of Law in all parts of it this must be a perpetual Cause or Occasion of Dissensions which are apt to break out at last into Wars But if the Occasions of that Error being observed it be well considered that the Power of the Jewish Kings the Roman Emperors or any other is no Rule for the measure of our Government where the greatest Power of all is manifestly not in the King but remaining in the whole Body of King Lords and Commons That Expressions in some Acts of Parliament Articles of Religion or Canons used and intended meerly in Opposition to Papal Pretences ought not captiously to be extended to what was not intended or in question contrary to manifest Truth That Expressions in the Homilies out of Zeal against Conspiracies and Rebellions of Papists are of no Authority in Questions or Controversies of State nor Deerees of Universities when to serve a Faction or please those from whom they expect Preferment and That Ambition Self-interest and Flattery the usual Attendants of Princes Courts are always the promoters of such Pretences the Faction will soon be deserted by all honest men and then may we hope for a Happy Settlement which is the Design of this Paper and the sincere Desire of it's Author FINIS

and the Fraud being detected I leave the rest to every one 's own Observation And 3. This is done with the greatest Solemnity and Formality that could be in a Convocation of the Clergy in the Form of Canons and Decrees and those severally passed as upon particular Debates with a Placet eis to each and attested to have passed with one consent under the terms of Constitutions by Bancroft for the upper House of the Province of Canterbury by Overal for the lower House and by Thornborough for the Province of York whereas those Canons of that Convocation which were published passed only the Convocation of the Province of Canterbury And now to consider the Consequences of it How scandalous and impious it is to the Christian Religion and how scandalous and derogatory to the Authority of the Church of England and Convocations of our Clergy I leave to the Consideration of others Likewise how pernicious it might have been to the Civil Government of Soveraign Princes and their States by sowing the seeds of Dissention between them had this Convocation Book been published and obtained Authority or Reputation in the World But what Work it might have made in the World may be perceived by what it hath actually made in these Nations which I will briefly note in some few Observations concerning the Progress and Success of it and of this Regal Ecclesiastical Faction Whether Archbishop Whitgift had before had any hand in laying down the Plot or not he lived not to have any share in the Management of the Convocation That Dr. Heylin Life of Laud Anno 1610. p. 63. attributes solely to his Successor Bancroft who had before manag'd A Secret Corrrespondence with K. James in Scotland insinuating unto him the Necessity of Consorming both Kingdoms in Government and Forms of Worship and laying down a Plot for restoring Episcopacy to that Kirk without Noise or Trouble But that Faculty of laying down Plots he notes in them both and the great Intimacy there was between them And another special Qualification in Bancroft for such a Work may be observed from that Author viz. a close management of his matters without noise and forbearing upon occasion to appear in them himself I have already noted p. 27. the Complaints of that Parliament against the Higher Clergy for writing Books and the Inferiour Clergy for inveighing from the Pulpits against them and pa. 29. that Book of Dr. Cowels published not long after the passing the Convocation Book which may all reasonably be judged the Effects of this Work of the Convocation Thornborough himself had before written one for which he was questioned in Parliament And though Bancroft published none now yet he failed not to promote the Work otherways not only by close Insinuations but by open plain Assertions whereof Coke's 12. Report pa. 63. hath a considerable Instance and by encouragement of such Principles in the Court the Universities and all parts And doubtless his Project of a New Colledge at Chelsey for which he had gotten an Act of Parliament was principally designed for a Seminary of Champions for this Cause and being Chancellor of the University of Oxford he would not fail to leven and prepare many there for the purpose But Death put an end to his Progress and Project 2 Nov. 1610. But the Faction died not with him Nor was the Propagation of the Doctrine even by printed Books neglected There was one published that Year and dedicated to him by Dr. Carleton afterwards Bishop of Landaff which hath divers passages in it to that purpose and others it seems there were which occasioned new complaints in Parliament the same Year And yet so hotly was it still maintained and promoted that within few Years after was Bishop Neile who by the Power and Mediation of Bancroft was made Clerk of the Closet That standing continnally at the Kings Elbow he might be ready to perform Good Offices to the Church and Churchmen Heyl p. 60. for seditious Speeches questioned in Parliament till by many tears and a submissive behaviour he got off But he so gained the Favour of his Master that he was preferred to the Deanry of West minster afterwards successively to the Bishopricks of Rochester 1608. Lichfield 1609. Lincoln 1613. Durham 1617. by K. James and of Winchester 1628. and York 1631. by King Charles after he had been again complained of in Parliament All which Promotions gave him Opportunity to promote the Work for which he was an apt and active Agent in all parts of the Nation Such another Zealot for the Cause was Harsnet Bishop of Chichester who in Parliament time preached such a Sermon at Whitehall upon the Text Give unto Caesar c. as gave such Offence that King James was constrained to call the Lords and Commons to the Banqueting House and calm them with Good words and the Sermon was burnt but the Bishop was afterwards preferred to Norwich by K. James and after that to York by K. Charles The like was done by Dr. Roger Mainwaring Chaplain in Ordinary to the King in two Sermons before the King and Court at Whitehall and after published for which he was impeached in Parliament and charged with a wicked intention to seduce and misguide the Conscience of the King touching the Observation of the Laws c. sentenced to be imprisoned fined a 1000. li. disabled from Preferments c. and his Sermon suppressed by Proclamation declaring the Censure and Sentence just Yet was he soon after pardoned preferred to the Rectory of Stanford Rivers void by the promotion of Mountague to Chichester and had a Dispensation to hold it with that of St. Giles's in the Fields afterwads to the Deanry of Worcester and finally to the Bishoprick of St. Davids which was highly resented by the Lords so that the King commanded him not to come to the Parliament nor send any Proxy And this brings me to the Top of all the Faction who promoted it to its Perfection or rather Confusion viz. Dr. Laud against whom then Bishop of Bath and Wells Complaint was made to the Commons that he had warranted these Sermons to the Press and Mainwaring was no sooner censured but Lauds Cause was called to the Report But all further Proceedings against him at that time were soon stopped by Dissolution of the Parliament 26 June and 1. Jul. had he his Conge d'eslier for Bishop of London and soon after other Favours of which more hereafter These Sermons were preach'd in pursuance of certain Instructions drawn up by him at the Command of the King for promoting an illegal Imposition under the name of a Loan and being preached at Court upon such an Occasion by a Chaplain in Ordinary he had no doubt some special Instructions Directions or Advice in it In other places the Preachers did their parts according as they were required by the said Instructions amongst whom 〈◊〉 Beale was taken notice of and Sibthorp Dr. of Divinity and in Commission of the Peace advanc'd the Service