Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	church_n	good_a	great_a	3,182	5	2.6384	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37473	The speech of the Honourable Henry Booth, Esq spoken in Chester March 2 1680/1, at his being elected one of the knights of the shire for that county to serve in the Parliament summon'd to meet at Oxford the 21 of the said month.	Warrington, Henry Booth, Earl of, 1652-1694.	1681 (1681)	Wing D881; ESTC R27289	5,724	4

I hear there is so great a number of the last House chosen and like to be chosen that his fault will be remembred which by the way Gentlemen is the Judgement of you in your choice of me you doing that which the rest of the Nation hath done and where any change is it is only to reject those that were Pensioners or else vehemently suspected to be Mercenaries But I could wish it were not the opinion of too many that the way to recommend themselves as true Sons of the Church is to Preach seldom and meddle with State affairs more I hear some have taken offence because at Northwich I did commend the last House of Commons truly Gentlemen I only gave it as my Opinion and till the contrary doth appear I must believe that for Riches Integrity Learning Experience and all things that are expedient for Members of that House England never had a better and why the Parliament was Dissolved I know not for they who advised it have neither dared to own it nor the reasons for it There is one thing I could not but take notice of in the opposition that hath been made against me If you will observe they are the persons that were most inveterate one against another in the dispute between Sr. Philip Egerton and my Cousin Chollomondley but to oppose me they are united as one man If their new made Friendship be sincere and they have this way to do it I am very glad I have been the occasion of their reconciliation but if in this matter alone they are cemented then it doth discover upon what principles they act and they are to be blamed and not the Gentlemen who were set up to oppose me for I believe them both to be very worthy men one of them is my Neighbour and I will do him what Service I can and for the other he shall find me a Gentleman if he hath occasion to use me Gentlemen I have as well as I can repeated the particular charges against me I had but a short time to recollect my self there remains yet a general Charge which I desire to speak to and truly it is an heavy charge a charge not to be born if I were guilty of it They say I am an evil man as to the King and Church I wish my accusers had either so much power or will to serve the King or Church as I have and because I do not know my self to be guilty as to either of them I hold my self obliged to say something in my Vindication I know not where I ever gave my Vote to impair the Kings Prerogative for this is my principle and ever hath been my opinion that the Kings Prerogative when rightly used is for the good and Benefit of the People and the Liberties and Properties of the People are for the support of the Crown and Kings Prerogative when they are not abused but this blessed Harmony may sometimes be disordered either by the influence of some ill Counsel about the King who to obtain their own ends do not care to ruin their King and Master or else from the restless Spirits of some ambitious men of broken fortunes who hope to repair them out of other mens Estates But it seems that I and the House of Commons are much to blame because by one of our Votes we forbid the People to lend Money upon the Revenue by way of anticipation I never knew it was a Crime to pass a Vote the Law had justified for the Law will maintain every part of that Vote and therefore I need say no more of it and besides this is not a place to argue it in As for my part I 'll do my best to preserve the Kings Prerogative and the way to do it is neither to add nor diminish for to make a King absolute is not to support but pull down his Prerogative for the King holds his Prerogative by the Law and if that be destroy'd the Title is to be disputed by the Sword and he that hath the sharpest will prove to have the best right As to the Church I am for it as it is now Established under Episcopacy but I would have them to be such as St. Paul to Tim. in his first Book and 3 chap. describes and when they live accordingly I have as great a reverence for them as any man but when they live otherwise they prove to be a ruin of the Church and ought to be abhorr'd of all true Christians And for Ceremonies I take them not to be necessary to Salvation but for decency and order sake and I conceive this Ceremony is so much the more necessary as it tends to the more effectual uniting of Protestants and to preserve Peace and concord in the Church I am of opinion the Church is in danger and I 'le do my best to support it and as the case stands we must either bring in Protestants or Papists I am for bringing in Protestants and that is my Crime but you are pleased to judge me to be in the right Now I will no longer doubt of my opinion I am sure he that is against bringing in Protestants is for bringing in Papists and whether it be more profitable to support the Church by uniting of those who differ in Ceremonies or those who differ in Fundamentals I think is very plain Is he a wise man who if his house be falling by reason of too much weight upon the roof will lay more upon it rather than prop it up and take off some of the weight So they who take the Church to consist of Ceremonies must pardon me that I am not of their opinion since the word of God warrants no such thing and my reason tells me that they are too much interested in the cause to be fit judges for with them he is accounted a good Son of the Church who keeps a great stir about Ceremonies though he live never so ill a life and perhaps is drunk when he performs his Devotion but if a man seem to be indifferent as to Ceremonies and make them no more than indeed they be yet in Practice Conforms more than he that makes a greater noise about them though he live never so godly a life and as near as he can to the rule of Gods word yet he is a Fanatick and an enemy to the Church but God Almighty tells us he will have mercy and not Sacrifice Gentlemen They who accuse me for an enemy to the King and Church have left you out of the story but I hope I shall not forget you but remember on whose errand I am sent and as I have hitherto stuck to your interest I hope nothing will draw me aside from it and if I know my own heart I am perswaded that neither rewards threats hopes nor fears will prevail upon me I desire nothing but to promote Gods glory and the interest of the King and people and if it shall please God to let me see the Protestant Religion and Government established I shall think I have lived long enough and I shall be willing at that instant to resign my breath Gentlemen I thought good to say this to you and I thank you for your patience and hope I shall so behave my self in your Service that I shall make it appear I am sensible of the honour you have done me I humbly thank you all To the Honourable HENRY BOOTH Esq and Sir ROB. COTTON Kt. Bar. Gentlemen WE the Gentlemen and Free-holders of the County Palatine of Chester who have by a Free and unanimous consent Re-elected you to be our Representatives in the approaching Parliament do thankfully acknowledge your joynt integrity and correspondence with the worthy and eminent members of the last Parliament who in so signal and never to be forgotten a manner asserted the Rights of Petitioning the Vnion Supports and Growth of the true Protestant Religion established by Law And the only Expedient we think to Entail these things to our Posterity is to stick to what the Parliament concluded as to the Duke of York and all Popish Successours and to provide for the Defence and Safety of his Majesties most Sacred Person the vigorous and Sedulous Discovery of that horrid Popish Plot and to punish all Sham-plotters which we esteem the worst of villains without which his Imperial Majesty can neither be easie nor secure These with those great and excellent things then under your Consideration make us confident of your sincerity and future proceedings which that they may be happy is our Prayer and will be a support-to all those that wish a blessing to his Most Sacred Majesty and these distressed Kingdoms we likewise desire that your Votes may continue to be Printed and till the effects we hope for on which the happiness of both Church and State depend are accomplished we may thence read the current of your Consent and Vnion LONDON Printed for John Minshall Bookseller in Chester and are to be sold by Langley Curtis in Goat Court without Ludgate 1681.