Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A57554
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The common-wealths-man unmasqu'd, or, A just rebuke to the author of The account of Denmark in two parts.
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T. R. (Thomas Rogers), 1660-1694.
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1694
(1694)
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Wing R1829; ESTC R6269
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50,187
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181
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Man arriv'd to before his time And as the Philosophers acquir'd an Immortality to themselves so they gave a kind of Reputation and Lustre to their Kindred and Acquaintance too 'T was an Honour heretofore to a Gentleman to have been at Athens and convers't with the Grecian Sages Olorus had not been remembred by Posterity but for his Son Thucidides and Seneca observes That the name of Sophronischus had been buried in oblivion but for his Son Socrates Nor had Aristo and Gryllus been known to after Ages if it had not been for Xenophon and Plato Pref. Germany was freer than any other part of Europe till at length 't was Lorded by Captains which in process of time grew Princes and Electors and by Bishops with Temporal Authority who may thank Charles the Great a very bigotted Prince for their double Sword of Flesh and Spirit And again They speaking of the Clergy have cast off the Opinions of Rome in the Supremacy of the Pope and other Points but they would retain the Grandeur belonging to that Church and applaud us for doing both so dextâ—rously Account cap. 16. p. 230. This is all over the exact Genius and Spirit and almost the very stile of a broken-hearted Covenanting Brother as will appear to any that shall peruse the Sayings of the great Lights o' th Church or new Reformation 1641. c. Nay if I well remember the Sweet-singers of Billingsgate canted in this Tune and much after the same manner The Oyster-women lock't their Fish-up And trudg'd away to cry no Bishop Here is a strong mixture of Ignorance and Ill-manners nor is it easy to determine which is the most predominant Ingredient Every Prince it seems that is zealous for the Honour of the Church and Clergy is with him an half-witted Bigot and consequently not fit to Govern and every Modern Prelate and Usurper Nothing doe's more dazie envious and weak Eyes than Ecclesiastick Splendor and a peaceable flourishing Condition of the Church He could make no question as bold a stroke at the Picture of Constantine himself upon occasion and I shall venture to tell him That he has already libell'd most of the Courts and Governments of Europe For the European Princes upon the the first entertainment of the Evangelical Codes admitted the Episcopal Order into their Courts of Judicature so doe's Adam Bremensis particularly speak in Relation to the State of Denmark Starovolscius of Poland Loccenius of Sweden Hinâ—mâ—r and Bignonius of France The Toletane Councils of Spain and Arumaeus a German a much better Lawer and Protestant than our Prefacer speaking of Bishops sitting in the Diets both as Prelates and Princes commends the Wisdom and Justice of that Constitution in relation to true Polity and safety of Religion Indeed the imperial Constitutions before the Papacy began give allowance to Bishops to be Judges in Civil Causes as well as Ecclesiastical which I presume laid the Foundation of this sort of Episcopal Rights and Jurisdiction and all Donations and Favours of this kind from Princes in After-Ages were only a glorious Transcript of this Original The Prefacer seems to have espous'd the Doctrine of the Leviathan part 3. cap. 47. where Mr. Hobbs endeavouring to over-throw Christ's Kingdom in this world represents that Notion as a design or artifice of the Roman Clergy to support their secular Greatness But how Christ's Kingdom upon Earth should be a Popish Imposture to advance ambitious Ends when this Doctrine was first preached by our Saviour himself afterwards by his immediate Disciples and propagated by succeeding Apostolical Men in the Ages of Persecution is a mysterious Riddle which I cannot comprehend But this State of Affliction was not to be perpetual and unalterable for when Kings should become Nursing Fathers of the Church the Evangelical Priesthood was to make a more Glorious Figure in the World St. Peter mentions a Royal Priesthood and this is so far from carrying a new and surprizing sound to the more rational part of Mankind that it has been ever own'd by the more polish't and civiliz'd Nations Among the Romans the Pontifices were carried in a Charriot of State to the Capitol and were allow'd to interpose in matters of Polity and civil Concernment as well as of Religion as Cicero speaks at large in his Oration for his Hoâ—se Among the Bâ—â—ylonians and Egyptians as Josephus writes in his Tract against Appion and which I would have the Author of the Account of Denmark particularly observe there were none thought worthy to be honoured and entrusted with the Office of an Historian but the those of the Sâ—cerdoâ—al Character Every pedling Observator was not then thought fit to communicate the Actions of Princes and brave Men or recommend the Examples of Heroe's to Posterity To give an Account of tâ—â— vast Affairs of State the Revolutions of Governments the various turns of Providence in the advancement declination and fall of Empires and of great Personages to discern the more hidden Springs the private Walks and all the Masques of Villany to trace fallen Vertue through the Cloud and Veil to distinguish nicely betwixt the Prosperous and Brave the Bad and the Unfortunate was thought a task that requir'd a great and unwearied industry a penetrating Judgment a sublime Learning an impartial Reason and other extraordinary Accomplishments in the Undertaker But now each Youthful or Grey-headed Pedant aspires to the Historical Faculty 't is but rambling a little about the Globe casting his eyes around and travelling till he is tired and then he shall lye down fall into Dreams and Visions and rise up an illuminated Historian in a moment and not contented to take the Office out of the Rightful Hands he fancies it to be his peculiar Province to expose the Sacred Office to contempt and ridicule the Priesthood like the Evil Spirit that perpetually haunts him he seeks but can find no rest And that worm of impertinence that is got into his Brain can never lye still till the whole Nation 's disturb'd by it's wrigling Secondly Another preparatory Step towards the carrying on an Antimonarchial Project is making a senseless pother and noise about Tyranny and Arbitrary Power For the people are govern'd by Names and the power of Words and seldom see beyond the surface of things and any little Jâ—ggling Poliâ—itian can in the view of the people make an unfortunate Sally an involuntary Tax or some other trivial Digression appear â— terrible advance towards Tyranny and absolute Dominion This was heretofore the Logick of the Saints as well as of Gottam to uplift the Good Cause in the days of Regeneration and to shew how good Wits can jump upon occasion I shall set down the very words nay the Heart and Soul of the Prefacerâ— Pref. Good Learning as well as Travel is a great Antidote against the Plague of Tyranny The Heroe's celebrated in the Books of the Antients are for the most part such as had destroy'd or expell'd Tyrants Good Learning indeed which the