Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	call_v	good_a	great_a	3,277	5	2.6620	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57830	Sir Beniamin Rvdyerds speech concerning bishops, deanes and chapters at a committee of the whole House; Speech concerning bishops, deanes, and chapters	Rudyerd, Benjamin, Sir, 1572-1658.	1641 (1641)	Wing R2190; ESTC R11526	2,317	9

SIR BENIAMIN RVDYERDS SPEECH Concerning BISHOPS DEANES And CHAPTERS At a Committee of the whole House Printed in the yeare ●●●● SIR BENIAMIN RVDYERD HIS SPEECH Mr. HYDE WEE are now upon a very great businesse so great indeed as it requires our soundest our saddest consideration our best judgement for the present our utmost foresight for the future But Sir one thing doth exceedingly trouble me it turnes mee round about it makes my whole reason vertiginous which is that so many doe beleeve against the wisedome of all ages that now there can be no reformation without destruction as if every sicke body must be presently knockt in the head as past hope of cure Religion was first and best planted in Cities God did spread his Net where most might be caught Cities had Bishops and Presbyters Presbyters were the Seminaries out of which were sent labourers by the Bishops to propogate and cultivate the Gospel The Cleargie then lived wholly upon the free-will offerings and bounty of the people Afterwards when Kings and States grew to be Christians the outward settlement of the Church grew up with them They erected Bishopricks founded Cathedrall Churches endowed them with large possessions Landlords built Parish Churches gleab'd them with some portion of land for which they have still a right of presentation I doe confesse that some of our Bishops have had ambitious dangerous aimes and have so still that in their government there are very great enormities but I am not of their opinion who beleeve that there is an innate ill quality in Episcopacie like a specificall property which is a refuge not a reason I hope there is not originall sin in Episcopacie and though there were yet may the calling be as wel reformed as the person regenerated Bishops have governed the Church for fifteen hundred yeares without interruption and no man will say but that God hath saved souls in all those times under their government Let them be reduced according to the usage of ancient Churches in the best times so restrained as they may not be able hereafter to shame the calling I love not those that hate to be reformed and doe therefore thinke them worthy of the more strict the more close reformation We have often complained that Bishops are too absolute too singular Although Cathedral Churches are now for the most part but receptacles of Droanes and Nonresidents yet some good men may be found or placed there to be assessors with the Bishops to assist them in actions of moment in causes of importance there is maintenance already provided for them If either in Bishopricks or Cathedrall Churches there be too much some may be pared off to relieve them that have too little If yet more may be spared it may be imployed to the setting up of a preaching Ministery through the whole Kingdome And untill this be done although we are Christians yet are we not a Christian State There are some places in England that are not in Christendome the people are so ignorant they live so without God in the world for which Parliaments are to answer both to God and Man Let us look to it for it lies like one of the burdens of the Prophet Esay heavie and flat upon Parliaments I have often seriously considered with my selfe what strong concurrent motives causes did meet together in that time when Abbeyes and Monasteries were overthrowne Certainly Gods hand was the greatest for hee was most offended The prophane superstitions the abhominable idolatries the filthy nefandous wickednesse of their lives did stinke in Gods nostrils did call downe for vengeance for reformation A good party of religious men were zealous instruments in that great worke as likewise many covetous ambitious persons gaping for fat morsels did lustily drive it on But Mr. Hyde there was a principall Parliamentary motive which did facilitate the rest For it was propounded in Parliament that the accession of Abbey lands would so enrich the Crowne as the people should never be put to pay subsidies again This was plausible both to Court and Countrey Besides with the overplus there should be maintained a standing army of fourty thousand men for a perpetuall defence of the Kingdome This was safety at home terrour and honour abroad the Parliament would make all sure Gods part Religion by his blessing hath been reasonably well preserved but it hath been saved as by fire for the rest is consumed and vanished the people have payed subsidies ever since and we are now in no very good case to pay an Army Let us beware Mr. Hyde that we do not looke with a worldly carnall evill eye upon Church lands let us cleare our sight search our hearts that we may have unmixt and sincere ends without the least thought of saving our owne purses Church lands will still be fittest to maintain Church men by a proportionable and orderly distribution We are very strict and curious to uphold our own propriety and there is great reason for it Are the Cleargy only a sort of men who have no propriety at all in that which is called theirs I am sure they are Englishmen they are subjects If we pull downe Bishopricks and pull downe Cathedrall Churches in a short time we must bee forc'd to pull downe Colledges too for Schollers will live and dye there as in Cells if there bee not considerable preferment to invite them abroad And the example we are making now will bee an easie temptation to the lesse-pressing necessities of future times This is the next way to bring in Barbarisme to make the Cleargy an unlearned contemptible vocation not to bee desired but by the basest of the people and then where shall we finde men able to convince an adversary A Cleargy man ought to have a farre greater proportion to live upon then any other man of an equall condition Hee is not bred to multiply threepences it becomes him not to live mechanically and sordidly he must be given to hospitality I doe know my selfe a Cleargyman no dignitary whose books have cost him a thousand pounds which when he dies may be worth to his wife and children about two hundred It will be a shamefull reproach to so flourishing a Kingdome as this to have a poore beggerly Cleargy For my part I think nothing too much nothing too good for a good Minister a good Cleargy man They ought least to want who best know how to abound Burning and shining lights doe well deserve to be set in good Candlestickes Mr. Hyde I am as much for reformation for purging and maintaining Religion as any man whatsoever but I professe I am not for innovation demolition nor abolition FINIS