Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	body_n	hand_n	soul_n	5,920	5	4.8872	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11467	Europæ speculum. Or, A vievv or survey of the state of religion in the vvesterne parts of the world VVherein the Romane religion, and the pregnant policies of the Church of Rome to support the same, are notably displayed: with some other memorable discoueries and memorations, never before till now published according to the authours originall copie.	Sandys, Edwin, Sir, 1561-1629.	1629 (1629)	STC 21718; ESTC S116680	134,835	260

that these men should haue bene chosen extraordinarily by God to be the Reformers of the Church and restorers of his truth who besides theyr vicious liues and hatefull conditions in their more sober thoughts and very doctrine it selfe were possessed with so phantasticall so wild so contrarie so furious so maledicent and so slovenly spirits Wherein as they do in some sort imitate theyr adversaries so yet with this difference that the one hath objected that which eyther as being the approved doctrine of theyr Church was with publike authoritie delivered unto the people or else which was so usuall amongst their Canon●sts and Clergie as might plead uncontrolled custome to shew it lawfull Whereas the other part finding belike small store of that nature haue run for supply to every particular mans writings wherein in ●● huge a multitude of authors and works as in this over-ranke age mens fingers over-itching haue produced it had bene surely a great Miracle if they should not haue found matter enough eyther worthy to be blamed or easie to be depraved in theyr enemies writings one of the most renowmed sages and Fathers of the auncient having found so much to condemne and retract in his owne And if the Protestants should list to requite them in that kind they might perhaps find stuffe enough I will not say as one doth to load an Argosie but to over-lade any mans witt in the world to reply to But verily these courses are base and beggerly even when singlenesse of mind truth doth concurre with them and farre unworthy of an ingenuous and noble spirit which soreth up to the highest and purest paths of veritie disdaining to stand raking in these puddles of obscaenitie unworthy of that charitable and vertuous mind which striveth by doing good to all to attain the high honour of being an imitator of God which is sory of those very thoughts that infect his enemie and discloseth them no farther than is necessarie eyther for defence of impugned truth or for warning unto the world to avoid the contagion of the disease or seducement by the dangerously and unapparently diseased But if to this basenesse of discoveries other injustice be also added if m●lice preferre them if sleight encrease them if falshood and sclaunder taint them then do they not only abase men from the dignitie of theyr nature but even associate them with the soule enemie and calumniator thereof whose name is the sclaunderous accuser of his brethren I suppose there was never man so patient in the world that pattern of all perfection our blessed Savior excepted but if a man should heap together all the cholerick speeches all the way-ward actions that ever scaped from him in his life and present them in one view all continuate together as is the fashion of some men it would represent him for a furious and raving bedlam whom displaying all his life in the same tenor it was led the whole world might well admire for his courtesie staydnesse moderation and magnaminitie They that obserue nothing in wise men but theyr oversights and follies nothing in men of vertue but theyr faults and imperfections from which neyther the wisest nor the perfectest haue bene free what doe they but propose them as matter of scorne and abhorring whom God having endued with principall grace hath marked out for very patterns of honor to imitate Yea this age hath brought out those curst and thrice accursed witts who by culling out the errours and shewes of errours by formalizing the contrarieties mis-interpreting the ambiguitie intangling more the obscurities which in the most renowmed authors for humane wisdome that were ever in the world theyr envious and maliciously fine braines could search imitating him therein who by his labours of the very same nature though with lesse and no ground at all against the sacred Bible purchased the infamous name of the enemie of Christianitie haue done that hure unto the studyes of learning which nothing but utter extinguishing of theyr unlearned workes can expiate But of this matter sufficient The last meanes I will here speake of that were used in setting forward the Reformation of Religion was the diligent compiling of the Histories of those times and actions and especially the Martyrologies of such as rendred by theyr deaths a testimonie to that truth which was persecuted in them These memories and stories presenting generally to the world the singlenesse and innocencie of the one part the integritie of theyr liues the simplicitie of theyr devises the zeale of theyr desires theyr constancies in temptations theyr tollerancie in torments theyr magnaminious and coelestially inspired courage and comfort in theyr very agonies and deaths yielding theyr bodyes with all patience to the furious flames and theyr soules with all joy into the hands of him that made them on the other side representing a serpentine generation wholly made of fraud of policies and practises men lovers of the world and haters of truth and godlinesse fighters against the light protectors of darkenesse persecutors of marriage and patrons of brothels abrogators and dispensers against the Lawes of God but tyrannous importuners and Exacters of theyr owne men false in theyr promises treacherous in theyr pretences barbarous in theyr executions breathing nothing but crueltie but fire and sword against men that had not offended them saue in theyr desire to amend them which could not endure and much of this set out in sundry places with pictures also to imprint thereby a more liuely sence of commiseration of the one part and detestation of the other did breed in mens minds a very strong conceipt that on the one side truth and innocence was persecuted on the other side violence and deceipt did persecute that the one part contrarie to all humane probabilitie being nourished with the onely dew of divine benediction did flourish in the flames and like Camamil spread abroad by being trod under foote the other notwithstanding all humaine and infernall succours and devises yet being cursed from aboue did fade and would come to ruine The Papacie being netled extreamely by these proceedings hath rel●oved first to giue over the kindling any more of those unfortunate fires saue in places secure to keepe that law in usage the ashes of which they haue perceived to haue beene the seed of theyr adversaries but rather by secret makings of men away in theyr Inquisitions for which purpose as some of theyr owne friends in Italy haue reported whether truely or falsely I am not able affirme they haue theyr trap-doores or pit-falls in darke melancholy chambers or such other devises perhaps and chiefly by generall massacres to extinguish them Then to affront them in the same kind of Martyrologies and Hystories they haue first caused sundry new Fryerly stories to be written also in theyr favour making in them a representation of authoritie and justice proceeding by politike execution of law in the necessarie defence of Gods Church and Priests and of Catholike states and Princes against a

rapins and murderings of the very soules of theyr children a case to be bewailed with teares of bloud by all Christian harts that know it hearing the onely Anchor and flay of their soules which is their expectation of the comming of Christ and of future salvation dayly derided and blaspheamed by the pride of the mightie and finally seeing no shadow of any hope of deliverie from this long calamitie under the burthen whereof they grone and are consumed should in the end fall away and revolt to Turcisme inviting them unto it with all the baits of ease of wealth of pleasures of freedome prosperitie and worldly glory in which fearefulnesse of mind the onely remedie remaining is the vertuousnesse of their owne example in constancie and patience and the avoyding of all scandall to their people Which is the cause that they wil not hear of reforming any thing not I suppose upō any presumptiō or obstinacy of mind as disdaining reformation but as trembling at alteration which must needs accompany it lest their people perceiving so they had bin amisse in some things might suspect the possibilitie of like errour in the whole and so fall mainly whither the force of power and worldly prosperitie a chiefe argument to the ignorant vulgar minds should sway them As on the other side their doubt of farther inaspererating the Turk in his Crueltie against them considering that in Greece and all those parts of Europe the Christians under the Turk do very manyfoldly exceed in number the Mahometans them selues may be a cause why in their generall they hold so small intelligence correspondence with the West-Church of one side or other and are like to continue so whilst their thraldome and cause of that feare shall last though in their particular they will declare a brotherly affection to both and desire of the unitie of all in one truth But for the Turk him selfe he maketh full accompt that whēsoever the West-Christians should stoutly invade him the East-Christians under him would run to theyr aid if they saw any likelihood that they should prevaile And this hath bene seene already more than once by example and he provides accordingly The Muscovites are a great Church a free and puissant not schismatikes from the Graecians as some in disgrace of both deliver though perhaps not fully concurring in all poincts Neyther yet is it true which other of a contrarie conceipt haue rumoured that the Patriarch of Constantinople hath remoued his Seat to Mosco whether he went only to erect that Sea into an Archbishoprick which before it was not and so returned But the Turk to keepe the Muscovites from stirring against him doth cause the Tartarians to make often incursions and roads into theyr Countrie that so being always in inward awe from an other side they may haue lesse leysure and with all lesse stomacke to embrace any outward thoughts or desseines of enterprizing or combining with other Christians against him It were needlesse now to enter into any view of their Li●es neither could it serue eyther way to the honour or reproach of theyr Religion or governement being maymed interrupted and stopped in his operations of what qualitie soever though his tyrannie who striveth by all meanes to plant barbarousnesse amongst them as knowing that neyther Civilitie did found his Empire nor with civilitie could it long continue But the case is generall and experience sheweth it in all places that although a sweet mind and pure conversation bee the naturall fruicts of a sound beliefe and perswasion yet the afflicted in all Religions grounded upon truth how contrary soever otherwise are in their farre greatest part men of conscience and honestie saue onely where hopes draw other humours to them For it cannot proceed from lesse than a vertuous affection to prefer the sinceritie of conscience before worldly glory howsoever it may be stained with other erronious opinions As on the contrarie side even the purest Religion in prosperitie draweth to it an infinite of good companions and time-se●vers who being trained up in the exactnesse of kitchin and cup discipline make theyr Rendez-vows always where the best Cheere is stirring and follow Christ upon a sharpe devotion but to his bread not to his doctrine In which regard the fruicts of life in divers Religions and governments are not to bee compared but where their prosperitie or adversitie are aequall And even so doth it fall out in this particular we now speake of where the Graecian who is compted by the corruption of his Country to be naturally a false and craftie merchant a seditious and stirring person in all kinds of governement is now become humble obedient graue and peaceable and surely at divine service giveth more shew of devotion than the Romanists in any place for ought I haue yet seene But the lamentable calamitie of this afflicted and distressed Church once flourishing in all worldly prosperitie and glory now such as it hath pleased the rage of the wild bore to leaue it able to melt and dissolue even a marble heart into streames of mournefull teares doth cause me in due sense of campassion of their miserie to presse with the humble petition of a mind pierced with griefe to the just Iudge of the world the Redeemer of mankind and the Saviour of his erring people to cast downe his gracious and pittifull Eys upon them to behold on the one side his triumphant fierce enemie persecuting without end or measure on the other side his poore servants troden downe and persecuted without helpe or hope or comfort to breake and dissolue the pride and power of the one and to comfort the astonished and wasting weakenesse of the other with some hope of succour and finall deliverie to inspre the ●… Christian Princes their neighbours compounding or laying aside theyr endlesse and fruictlesse contentions to revenge theyr quarrell against the unjust oppressour to deliver now at length the Church of that bane the world of that ignominie mankind of that Monster of Turkish tyrannie which hath too long ravaged and laid desolate the earth A small thing were it if his revenew and treasure were only supplyed and maintained out of their goods and labours or if their bodies and liues were onely wasted and worne out in his works and slaveries it might be suffered For goods are transitorie and death is the end of all worldly miseries But to be forced to pay a tribute also of soules to his Mahomet to haue their forwardest and deerest children snatcht out of their bosoms to be brought up in his impious and bestiall abominations and to be employed in the murdering of them that begat them and in the rooting out of that Faith wherein they were borne and baptized and which only were able to bring their soules to happinesse this surely is an anguish and calamitie insupportable and which cryeth unto God in the Heavens for release How long shall the hatefull name of that cursed Seducer upbraid the glorious and louely

companie of ba●e Rebels and vow-breaking Friers of Church-robbing Politicians and Church-razing Souldiers of infected and infecting both Schismaticks and Haereticks innovators of orders underminers of governement troublers of states overturners of Christendome against whom if they haue not hitherto sufficiently prevailed it is to be attributed onely to the force of popular furie and not to any strength and goodnesse of theyr cause much lesse to any Coelestiall and divine protection Next for Martyrologies they haue England for theyr field to triumph in the proceedings wherein against theyr later Priests and complices they aggravate to the height of NEROES and DIOCLESIANS persecutions and the sufferers of theyr side in merits of cause in extremity of tormenes and in constancie and patience to the renowmed Martyrs of that heroicall Church-age Whereof besides sundry other treatises and pamphlets they haue published a great volume lately to the world in Italian compiled with great industrie approved by authoritie yea some of their books or passages illustrated also with picturs in sum wanting nothing saue only truth sincerity An easie thing it is without growing to the extreame impudencie of palpable lying by leaving out the bad on the one side and the good on the other by enforcing and flourishing all circumstances and accidents which are in our favour and by elevating and disgracing of all the contrarie by sprinkling the tearmes of Honour wholly on the one part of hatred and ignominie on the other to make the tale turne which way shall please the teller But writers of Histories should know that there is a difference between theyr profession and the practise of advocates pleading contrarie at a bar where the wisedome of the Iudge picketh the truth out on both sides which is entire perhaps in neyther And verily in this kind both the Protestants and Papists seeme generally in the greatest part of theyr stories both too blame though both not equally having by theyr passionate reports much wronged the truth abused this present age and praejudiced posteritie in so much that the onely remedie now seeming to remaine is to read indifferently the stories on both parts to compt them as advocates and to play the Iudge betweene them But partialitie seemes to haue bene the chiefe fault of the Protestant loue and dislike some time dazeling his eyes and drawing him from an Historiographers into an Oratours profession though some of them haue carried them selues therein with commendable sinceritie even as some also of the other part haue discharged them selues nobly But surely the Priests and Friers which haue medled in that kind haue straungely behaved themselues and disclosed how smal reckoning they make of truth in any thing theyr devising theyr forging theyr facing theyr piecing theyr adding theyr paring having brought not onely their modestie but their wits also in question whether they forgot not what it was which they undertooke to write a work of storie or of poetry rather which Arts though like yet ought they to know are different And for these Martyrologies to speak of England as they do let the truth of Religion lye indifferent on whether side unlesse difference be made between men who suffer for theyr Consciences onely theyr very adversaries having no other crime to ob●●ct against them and those who eyther in theyr owne particular persons or at leastwise in theyr directors whom they haue chosen to follow and vowed to obey are convinced to haue attempted against the Prince and State and to haue practised the alteration and ruine of both if no difference be to bee made betweene those mens sufferings let all like let the persecuting of sheepe and hunting of wolues be one But enough and too much perhaps of these comparisons and imitations I will adde onely hereto theyr policie of News for some kind of resemblance it hath with the former I must confesse it could not settle in my conceipt of a long time that men of theyr wisedome so well furnished with better meanes should descend to that base and vaine devise of inventing and spreading of false Newes in theyr favour being an odious kind of abusing the world and such also as in the end comming to be checked with the truth redounds to the deepe disgrace and discredit of the Authors being accompted no other than the tricke of a bankrupt Howbeit finding by experience that this frequent among them in other places at Rome aboue all other was a most ordinary practise from whence during the time of my abode in Italy beside other lesse memorable there came first solemne News that the Patriark of Alexandria with all the Greeke Church of Africa had by theyr Ambassadours submitted and reconciled themselues to the Pope and recorded from his Holynesse absolution and benediction there being no such matter as I learned afterward of a Greeke Bishop who hath particular acquaintance and intelligence with that Patriarch An other time that the King of Scotts amongst many acts worthy of a Christian Prince had chased away the Ministers yea and executed two of them confiscating theyr goods and bestowing them upon the Catholikes which newes was soone after recalled from the same place Not long after that BEZA the Arch-heretike CALVINS successour drawing towards his death had in full Senate at Geneva recanted his Religion exhorting them if they had care to saue theyr soules to seeke reconciliation with the Catholike-Church and to send for the Iesuites to instruct them whereupon both himselfe by speciall order from the Pope was absolved by the Byshop of Geneva ere he dyed and the Citie had sent to Rome an Ambassage of submission a beginning of which newes it was my chaunce to heare as being whispered among the Iesuites two moneths ere it brake out but when it was once advertised so solemnely from Rome it ran over all Christendome and in Italy was so verily believed to be true that there were as is said who rode on very purpose to see those Ambassadors of Geneva yet invisible And to make up the full measure of that noble policie I being afterwards at Lyons and understanding that the Post of Rome there then passing for Spaine gaue confidently out that he left the Queene of Englands Ambassadours at Rome making great instance for agreement and with his Holynesse and to haue her re-catholized and absolved newes as to me then seemed cut out purposely for Spain and to consolate theyr favourers and afflicted adhaerents Finding also by the observation and judgement of some wise men that the Iesuites are the Masters of that worthy Mint and that all these Chymicall Coynes are of theyr stamp yea and that theyr glorious newes of the miraculous proceedings of the Fathers of their Societie in converting the Indies are not thought much truer And lastly perceiving that the doctrine of all that side in their cases of Conscience making it lawfull for them to aequivocate with theyr adversaries in their answeres though given upon theyr oathes whensoever their liues or liberties are touched