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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A85375 Bishop Goodman his proposition in discharge of his own dutie and conscience both to God and man. Goodman, Godfrey, 1583-1656. 1650 (1650) Wing G1099E; ESTC R177532 11,800 20

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BISHOP GOOD MAN His Proposition In discharge of his own Dutie and Conscience both to God and Man PRivate interests as they work the deepest impressions so are they usually the first motives and occasions of great Publick designes though I am not altogether ignorant of some secrecies and close carriage of business in these times yet here I will onely take notice of such things as did manifestly appear to the Publick view The beginning of our late troubles and wars was upon this occasion K. Charles sent down the Common-Prayer Book to be used in the Scottish Church and as the L. Archbishop of S. Andrews then Chancellour of Scotland did very well observe If it had been recommended to an Assembly of Divines there to have been discussed or if it had been sent to the Parliament there to have been confirmed it is thought it might have taken good effect I doe therefore much commend the practice of former times That K. James began his Reigne with the Conference at Hampton Court which did much settle and pacisie the controversies then in the Church of England Q. Elizabeth began her Reigne with a solemne Disputation between the Bishops and those other Divines who had fled for Religion beyond Seas So in Q. Maries time there were severall Disputations concerning Religion as appears in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments In K. Edward the 6. time came some Divines out of Germany as Bucer Mārtir Fabius who were sent to both the Universities there to dispute and determine controversies in Religion Henry the 8. did his best endeavour to procure Philip Melanchthon to come over and though he fayled therein yet Agents came from the severall Princes of Germany who together with the Kings Commissioners might ●rea● for the setling of Religion I have seen the Originalls as they were copied out by the Clerks the English Commissioners did acquaint the Forain Agents that K. Henry had assumed the Title to be Head of his Church and for support of that great honour he had First fruits Tenths Subsidies and other payments from the Clergy he had likewise the disposing of Church preferments whereby he was absolute in the Government both of Church and State and none of his Subjects had any forain dependance or could appeal to the Church of Rome These Relations did little please the forain Agents for they did consider That if the King should be the supreme Head of his Church then it would follow That the Emperour should be the Supreme Head of the Church of Germany whom they hated ten times more then the Pope and therefore their resolution was that as Scripture was the onely judge of controversies in Religion to determine them so Scripture should be the head of their Church they would be wholly govesned by Scriptures they would obey none but Scriptures and acknowledge no other head It should seem their wisedom proceeded not so far as to demand who should interpret Scriptures or who should judge of the Exposition of Scriptures In default and for want of such conference to settle Religion Henry the 8. made no other change in Religion but onely took upon himself the Government and in right thereof he disposed of the Revenewes and to this Church Government did belong Matrimoniall causes and thereby he had power to divorce himself from his Wives as often as he thought fit for the Law was in himself and probable it is that he had an intent by his Spirituall power to proceed against his own Wife Anne of Cleeves in point of Heresie and so to have burnt her in stead of a divorce had she not very wisely though falsly accused her self to have been formerly precontracted whereby the Delegates such as had their power from the King adjudged the Marriage to be void and both parties to be at liberty to match where they pleased and that principall Chaplain who was so much imployed in the Divorce was now as much imployed to find out Arguments for the lawfulnesse of Polygamie so to satisfie his Masters appetite with variety and to give him greater hopes of Issue and had it not been that the King was now grown in years and his body exhausted and tyred out with his own lust it is not unlike but he might have consented thereunto and then being an approved Doctrine by the head of the Church it might have past for very sound and Orthodox Not to dwell altogether at home if we look abroad we shall find that very lately the Synod at Dort did settle the differences of Religion in the Low-Countries which together with the sacrificing of old Barnevelt did procure their peace and not onely in Protestant Churches but in the Church of Rome the Councell of Trent did much settle the Controversies in that Church insomuch that I could never have beleeved such plotting and practising against that Councell had I not seen with mine own eyes the originall of those secret practices subscribed by the Actors themselves and other great witnesses beyond all exception and thus if through all ages we shall come to that Councell in the Acts of the Apostles we shall ever find that Synods and Councells have been used as the ordinary means for composing differences in the Church Now I speak it to my great sorrow and grief I know no Nation so much distracted with Sects and Schismes as we are and fit it is some course should be taken to give satisfaction to weak Consciences the Church of England at this time is in so sad and mean a condition that we are scarce capable of a Synod for I am confident that the greatest number if not all of the most learned judicious Orthodox Divines are so dejected in mind as that they are not fit for a Synod nor will be admitted to have a free election in the choice of their Clerks and they are so utterly plundered and undon as that they are not able to bear the charge of a Synod and fayling herein let us find out some other course suppose a disputation where every man might give an account of his Faith but this were to expose the truth to great inconveniences choler and passion doe therein usually prevail there would be a needlesse multiplying of words and somtimes in a hot pursuit the Hare would he lost we might lose the state of the question and commonly men contend not so much for Truth as for Victory If then in discharge of mine own duty both to God and man I should propose a course I hope it could not be offensive For I see as mean men as my self in the City who have their private Congregations their set times of meetings on the week dayes they have their conferences private fasts and thanksgivings and even in Churches they have Lectures set up without any licence or publick authority then why should I be afraid to set up an Exercise to satisfie mens doubts and scruples in Religion