Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bishop_n	church_n	power_n	2,820	5	5.0653	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66602	The vanity and falsity of the history of passive obedience detected Wherein is briefly demonstrated, that the first reformers were far from maintaining it in the author of that history and his party's sence. As also it is plainly evinced that it cannot be deduced from the homilies, articles, injunctions or canons, liturgy and bishops of the primitive English Church. And all the specious pretences he makes for it are fully answered. By Tim. Wilson, M.A. and rector of the Kings Noth in Kent. Licens'd according to order.	Wilson, Timothy, 1642-1705.	1690 (1690)	Wing W2952; ESTC R217174	15,141	14

first Reformers of our Church had more Wisdom and Moderation than to Condemn their Brethren of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas when both Luther and Calvin justified Defensive Arms. And surely every wise and considerate Reader must needs Laugh at the palpable Folly and Weakness of this Author to infer from these Injunctions and Canons that Passive Obedience was the Characteristical Mark of the Church of England in those days He is Pur-blind with Prejudice and so now the Sun shines bright and clear he is better pleased with the Owl-light of his own Imagination Surely we receive these Injunctions and Canons as the beginning of Reformation with Hearts full of Joy And I am fully of Opinion that Henry VIII began at the Root when he renounced the Pope's Supremacy But let us hear the Doctrine of the Injunctions and Canons In the Infancy of the Reformation under Henry VIII for there I begin the Restoration of Religion to her purity in this Kingdom as Dr. Burnet doth Anno 1536. Injunctions were Issued out The first of which is That every Man that hath Cure of Souls shall for the Establishing and Confirmation of the King's Authority and Jurisdiction sincerely declare manifest and open for the space of one quarter of a Year next ensuing once every Sunday and after that at least wise twice every Quarter in their Sermons and other Collations That the Bishop of Rome's Vsurped Power and Jurisdiction having no Establishment or Ground in the Law of God was of most just cause taken away and Abolished And that the King's Power in his Dominions is the Highest Power and Potentate under God to whom all Men within the same Dominions by Gods Command owe most Loyalty and Obedience afore and above all other Potentates on Earth I am so far from disowning any of this that I wish it had been every Week published in every Market Town in the Reign of King James II. We always abhorred the Usurpations of the Bishop of Rome And we always owned the King's Lawful Power and Authority But we say that if a King is resolved to Subject us to a Forreign Power and to Dispense with all Laws made for our Security Liberty and Property and the Established Religion we may hinder him from Cutting our Throats and Defend our selves And this is neither R●bellion nor Resistance properly so called but Natural Self preservation against the Freaks and prodigious Melancholy Fits of a raging and beastly Tyrant who with greatest Ingratitude would devour Friends as well as Foes But let us see his Inference p. 5. Now if the King be above all other Powers then he cannot be Accountable to any other Power and so ought not to be Resisted Answ He that resists the Lust of a Tyrant resists no Power as hath been said often because neither God nor Man gave him such Power And though the King is above all Power and it is not for me to meddle with the King's Prerogatives or the Parliaments Priviledges yet I may safely say He is not above Law which makes him King as I shall shew anon out of the Fragments of Mr. Hooker's Eighth Book And it is a Sentence worthy to be written in Letters of Gold which I find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 5. p. 31. with me King Charles the First mentioned More than the Law gives me I would not have and less the meanest Subject should not And let me remind the Author that he saith in the Preface that he only doth the office of an Historian and intended not to promote any Disturbance But here and elsewhere he cannot forbear his own Inferences how unreasonable so ever they be Again he saith The Injunctions of the Lord Cromwell Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth plainly distinguish the Claim of the Pope from other Claims implying That our Church always believed that her Princes Power was derived immediately from God and that they were Superior to all their Subjects either Singly or Collectively and so were not accountable to them but only to God Answ No Mans private inferences and Opinions are the Doctrines of the Church The Injunctions and Canons have left such a Latitude that both Sides approve Likeas the 17th Article is of such a latitude that both Calvinists and Arminians subscribe with Cheerfulness and a good Conscience And this I take to be great Wisdom in our first Reformers I wish those Bishops that Succeeded them had been as wise at all times For let this Author imagine what he pleaseth private Opinions when urged as Doctrines of the Church or made Characteristical Marks of the Church have been the cause of all Disturbances in the Christian World We all believe that the King's Power is of God but that any one form of Regiment is derived immediately from God is no Doctrine of our Church nor of any Church and is the first falshood in political Government as I have shewed elsewhere All Kings receive their power Mediately by the People And Mr. Hooker faith tho he is singulis Major yet he is universis Minor But my opinion is this is according to the Constitution of every Kingdom though no People can give away the right of Self-preservation I am weary of this Cuckow tune always the same thing In short the Canons of the Church of England are Innocent in this matter And I would justifie our Church but the Guilt of some and the Peevishness of others will not suffer me And such as these may call me an Apostate and Presbyterian perhaps only because they are ashamed to confess their own Guilt I profess my self as true a Son of the Church of England as any Man in England And I always was and am at this day for Monarchy Epscopacy and Liturgy as Established by Law And I humbly submit in all things of Order Decency and Government to the Fathers of the Church and to the King and Parliament And let Men sunk in Prejudice say what they will this was always the Judgment of the Protestant English Church If our Governors think fit to change things in their own nature changeable every Subject is bound in Conscience to Obey If they think not fit be things as they are I am contented Now as for the Canons of the year 1640 I confess they have a spice of Innovation And I say I hope without offence to any Impartial considerer of those days That Arbitrary Power began to creep upon us And Arch-bishop Laud and his Party nor the Puritans and their Party are not to be justified in all things And here I make my Appeal to Rushworth's Collections or any other impartial Record of those times But I think the Author had better have buried these things in Silence For how they tend to the Credit of the Church of England I do not understand and I need not descant upon them Let us go on to Chap. III. which contains the Doctrine of the Homilies Here I shall not say with Mr. Mountague Appeal p. 260. I will admit the