Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	bind_v	law_n	prescribe_v	1,060	5	9.9803	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68555	An epistle of the persecution of Catholickes in Englande Translated ovvt of frenche into Englishe and conferred vvithe the Latyne copie. by G.T. To whiche there is added an epistle by the translator to the right honorable lordes of her maiesties preeuie councell towchynge the same matter.	Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610.; Briant, Alexander, 1553-1581.	1582 (1582)	STC 19406; ESTC S117527	81,669	186

add to this the greate numbers of all religious people bothe men and vvomen in monasteries and other vvhere vvhiche perhaps vvere tvvise as manye as the other vve shall finde the number to arise verie greate vvhiche all lyuinge then vnmaried and chast or els shoulde haue donne if vve novv allovv them to marye and accounte to euerye coople but three or fovver children and so consequentlye to their children and childrens children vve shall see that the encrease of people vvilbe huge in one age and much more in manye ages follovvinge vvhiche all beinge norished by the commō vvealthe must needes pester greatlie the lande vvithe mayne multitude of people and they for the most parte ydle also for so are clergie mens children commonlye and consequentlye muche empouerishe the same Besides this if vve consider the necessitie of temporall prouisiō cast vppon clergye men by their mariage as to prouide first for the present needes and then for the tyme to come as iointer dovvrye or some portion for the vvife lyuinges for the children and the like vve shall finde that they can nether keepe that hospitalitie for the poore vvhiche vvas vvont nor spare the leases copieholdes and other offalles of Ecclesiasticall lyuinges to helpe other men as in times past vvas accustomed and muche lesse builde Colledges Churches and other suche monumentes of pietie vvhiche their predecessours haue donne Nay if the minister dye not and leaue often a packe of orphanes vppon the poore parishe it is more tollerable So that vve see that the mariage of the clergie men dyuers vvayes spoileth the poore commonaltie and consequentlye impayrethe greatlye the vvealpublique Sixthlye our religion prohibiteth landlordes to rayse their rentes or anye other vvaie to presse their tenantes except it vvere vppon some greate cause and vvithe greate moderation knovven and allovved of by spirituall men learned diuines and if they do it rashelie and immoderatlie our Churche dothe solemly once a yere accurse them VVhiche vvas the cause that our good forefathers in tymes past and esspeciallie all religious men vsed to let their landes at a reasonable rate vvhereby infinite men vvere sustained and holpen as appearethe by our Abbayes in tyme past in Englāde the vvante vvhereof the poore countries vvhiche dvvell aboute them do novv feele Seuenthlye our religion holdeth tovvchinge the state of mariage that vvho so euer is once lavvfullye contracted in vvedlocke to another albeit they maie be vppon cause deuorced from compaininge one vvithe an other yet can the bāde of mariage neuer be so broken as either partye maie marye againe duringe the others naturall lyfe And therfore they must ether reconcyle them selues together againe or els lyue chast VVhiche is a brydell to manye mischeefes that must nedes ensevv vppon our aduersaries contrarie doctrine and practise in this matter vvho allovve the diuorced to marye againe the other partie yet lyuinge VVhiche libertie layed open to maryed people geuethe occasion of easie mislyke and diuorce betvvixt them vppō hope to marye agayne vvhere they like better to the greate disturbance of common vvealthes in processe of tyme. Eightlie our religion teachethe a pointe abovvt magistrates vvhich greatlie concernethe the common vvealthe and the contrarye doctrine of our aduersaries is very muche hurt full and daungeruose vnto the same The point is this That vve teache all lavves of magistrates be the magistrate good or euill vvhiche are of thinges ether good or indifferent or not expressely against Gods commandement doe binde the subiectes consciences to obedience that is the subiectes are bovvnde in conscience to obey them not onlie externallye but also in priuate and secrete and to accounte it as a syn before God if they vvillinglye breake the same for that the magistrate vvhat soeuer is Gods minister VVerof it folovveth that the lavves of the cōmon vvealthe are obeyed trevvlie syncerelye as vvell in secret as in open shevve vvithe loue also and vvithout grudge or contempt to the magistrate But the protestant theachethe that no lavv of man byndeth the subiectes conscience to obedience vvherof it muste needes follovv that seinge the subiect obeyethe not of conscience but onelye for policie and in respect of externall punishement vvhen so euer he is not in feare of that punishment he vvithout scruple vvill contemne and breake that commaundement of his magistrate as for example he vvil eate fleshe in the lent in suche places and companyes vvhiche he is sure vvill not accuse him albeit the magistrates commaundement and proclamation be to the contrarie and so in the lyke VVhiche thinge is verye hurtfull daungerous as I haue saied to the vveale publique For besides the common breakinge of publique lavves in priuate and secrete places vvherby the magistrate grovvethe into contempt the state hurted if at anie tyme the subiectes or any faction of them shal be so stronge and hardie as not to feare the magistrates punishement vvhat shall cause them anye longer to obey Feare of punishment there is none In conscience by this doctrine they are not bounde vvhy then maie not they as vvell prescribe lavves to the magistrate as he to them In this pointe therfore Catholique religion more vpholdethe the vvealepublique then that of our aduersaries Ninthlye it is of no small importance vnto a Christian common vvealthe vvhose end is to keepe men vvithin the limites of vertue and honestie that vvhiche our religion teachethe of the difference of synnes and of the nature of concupiscence For tovv chinge the first as vve holde that as some synnes are greeuons and mortall so some are lighter called veniall that is suche as of their nature and by rigour of iustice deserue not eternall damnatiō and expell not alvvaye grace but may stande vvithe the same Mortall vve call for exāples sake as to be droncke veniall to drincke a litle more then a man shoulde Mortall to geeue consentin a mans harte to an euill cogitation veniall to be negligent in expellinge the same though he cōsent not Our aduersaries holde that all synnes be they neuer so litle are mortall of their ovvne natures and of them selues do deserue damnation Secondlye tovv chinge concupiscence vve holde that in the regenerate that is in Christians after baptisme the naturall inclination of lustinge lefte in man ad agonem as the auncient fathers doe terme it that is to stryue vvithall is not synne of it selfe except vve geeue consent to the motion Our aduersaries holde that the verye motion it selffe though no consent be geuen vnto it is syn Of this diuersitie of doctrine flovvethe greate diuersitie of effectes into the common vvealthe For ovvt of our doctrine ensuethe this that seinge the naturall motion of concupiscence in me to euill is not syn except I yealde vnto it I vvill striue against it and not yelde consent for sauinge of my soule Againe seinge there is a difference of synne yf I should be caried avvaye a litle further then

First therfore our religion teachethe actuall restitution of all goods vvhat so euer ether vvrōgfullye or deceatfullye gotten or taken by might or iniurye And it teachethe this restitutiō in suche seuere manner as no priest may absolue anie man from his sinnes duringe his lyfe nor admitt him to any Sacrament no nor at the extreame pointe of deathe it selfe vvhere not vvithstandinge all other matters are released except he be content to make actuall restitution accordinge to his abilitie to the partie iniuryed nether can anye mortall povver or prelate of the Churche dispense in this point vvhere the vvill of restitution is not but that suche a one dyinge is accounted a reprobate and damned person and not to be praied for by our Churche of vvhiche thinge doe ensevv tvvo greate commodities to the common vvealth First that men knovvinge they must make this restitution againe if euer they be able are muche staied from extortion thefte bryberye vserye Simonie and the like offences vvhiche temporall lavves of them selues can neuer thorovvghlie bridle Secondlie that manie restitutiōs are made dailye to parties vvronged in our Churche at leste vvise vvhen mē come to dye of this I could heere alleage bothe rare maruelous examples But for the protestant he troubleth hym selfe litle aboute this matter nether hathe he any meanes in deed to do the same confession beinge taken avvaie and the practise is so strange amongest them as you shall reade in the storye folovvinge a good man punished fovver ye res in the Tovver of London for restoringe of tvventie povvndes for an other man after his deathe Secondlie our religion teacheth the obseruatiō of vovves that is that vvhoe so euer hathe made a vovv to God of a thinge honest lavvfull and possible is bounde to keepe it accordinge as the scripture biddeth vs Vouete reddite domino vovv and paye your vovves to God Of vvhiche our churche inferrethe that seinge our promisse to our neighboure is also a kinde of vovv vve are bounde in like sorte to keepe that for cōscience sake muche more then if vve stoode bounde to the same by obligation and to make devve recompence and restitution if vve breake the same VVherof ensued suche faithfull and trustie dealinges amongest our auncient forefathers But novv the protestant teachinge that vovves made to God may be broken eche man inferrethe therof if I maye breake a vovv to god muche more a vvorde or promise to a man and so vve see novv no promyse or bargaytne kept but onlie for commoditie there is no trust to mens vvordes any longer Thyrdlye our religion vse the abstinence of fleshe and some other meates at certayne times and dayes not condemninge the creatures but forbearinge the vse ther of for punishinge our bodies for more feruent seruinge of God at certaine tymes more thē other as ī lent frydaies Saterdayes and other as is appointed by our churche vvhiche daies beinge in number very neere 160. that is almost the one halfe of the yere besides the obseruances of religious people vvherof many neuer eate fleshe at all and besides the particuler deuotions of infinite priuate persōs vvhiche abstaine at certaine other times doe brynge an inestimable commoditie vnto a vvealepublique For that fishe herbes frute and the like vvhiche Catholiques vppon these daies do vse do not any vvaye impouerishe the lande beinge taken the most parte from the vvater But consuminge of fleshe dothe beinge vvholye fed vppon the grounde vvhiche fleshe by thes daies of abstinence encreasethe greatlie esspeciallie aboute the springe tyme vvhen our lent fallethe out at vvhat time by the iudgemēt of skilfull men the forbearinge of fleshe for those onlie six vveekes is sufficient for the maintenance of all the yere after And vvhat auaile this abstinēce bringethe to a kingdome in one yere it maie be gessed if a man make but an estimate vvhat the fleshe is vvorthe vvhiche vvoulde maintaine all Englande one daie and then double the same eight score times in euerve yere and consider vvhat it vvill amounte to in fevvyeres And novv albeit the protestant for polycies sake onlie as he saithe vvill seeme to commaunde the like abstinence at some of thes daies yet seynge it is but an externall punishment onlie and no matter of conscience to breake the princes lavve therin as they affirme hovve manye trovv you vvill breake the same or hovv manie protestantes them selues do obserue it if you conuerse vvithe the preachers you shall see them eate fleshe euerie daie and inuite other men to do it and iudge verie yuill of them that vvyll not therin beare them companye The temporall iudges also vvhen in their lent circuite thei publishe this verie proclamation of abstinence do eate openlye fleshe them selues Hovv then shall the people obserue the same vvhen they see bothe their Ecclesiasticall and temporall gouernours to do the contrarye the trueth is that the exacte obseruinge of this lavv amongest higher estates is onlie in Catholiques as also amongest the common people except some poore protestant that can get no fleshe and therby is constrayned to make of necessitie a vertue for other vvise he vvill eate it euen in despite of the tyme So that this commonvvealthe point dependeth onlye in deed of the Catholique parte Fovverthlye our religion besides this abstinēce aforesaide from fleshe cōmaundethe alsomany of the same dayes to be kept in fast to the number at least of a hundred euery yere in Englande In vvhiche tymes there is but one meale to be made a daye and the other to be spared vvhiche one meale sauede beinge valued but at alovv price thorough ovvt all the persōs aboue xvi yeres of age in Englande for after that tyme they are bounde to fast amountethe to a greate summe of monye and beinge doubled a hundred tymes euerie yere arysethe to muche more vvhiche greate summe is vtterlye lost by the protestant that faste the not and ys saued by the Catholique to the vvealpublique VVhiche difference albeit it be not felt presentlye in a greate state for greate palaces shrincke not at the beginnynge vvithe litle chvnkes yet in time it vvill shevv his effecte vvhen greate multitudes of people shal be by the same meanes of protestancie increased as shal be shevved in the next reason folovvynge the olde prouision of the lande by litle litle consumed as alredie I thincke in parte vve see it fulfilled Fifthlye our religion commaundethe continencie and sole lyfe to all cleargie men and to all sortes of religious people vvhiche to omite all other respectes profitethe greatlie the common vvealthe and the libertie of marriage gyuen by the protestante bringeth infinite inconueniences For first if vve make an estimate of the number vvhiche lyued vnmarryed in Catholique tymes in England allovvinge to euery parishe churche but tvvo pryestes one vvithe an other vvithe other temporall offices dependinge of the spiritualtie and therfore requiringe sole life if vve