Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	act_n	king_n	scotland_n	2,696	5	8.4241	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58539	The Scots Commissioners, their desires concerning unitie in religion, and uniformitie of Church-government as a speciall meanes for conserving of peace, in his Majesties dominions. Presented to the Kings Majestie, and both Houses of Parliament in England. March. 1641.	Scotland. Parliament.	1641 (1641)	Wing S1001C; ESTC R219080	7,516	18

would quickly turne themselves to their pious ordinances 8. This unitie of Religion shall make Ministers to build the Church with both their hands whiles now the one hand is holden out in opposition against the other partie and shall turne the many and unpleasant labours of writting and reading of unprofitable controversies into treatises of mortification and studies of devotion and practicall divinitie This unitie of Religion is a thing so desireable that all found Divines and Politicians are for it where it may bee easily obtained and brought about and as wee conceive so pious and profitable a work to be worthie the best considerations So are we earnest in recommending it to your Lo. that it may be brought before his Majestie and the Patliament as that which doth highly concerne his Majesties honour and the well of all his dominions And which without forcing of consciences seemeth not only to be possible but an easie work But because the matter is of great weight and of large extent Our desire is that for the present some course may betaken for an uniformitie in government 1. Because there can be small hope of unitie in Religion which is the chiefe bond of Peace and humane societie unlesse there be first one forme of Ecclesiasticall government 2. Because difference in this point hath beene the maine cause of all other differences betweene the two Nations since the reformation of Religion 3. Because although it ought not to be so we finde it true in experience that Church-men through their corruption are more hotte and greater Zelotes about government then about matters more substantiall their worldly dignities and wealth being herein concerned As Erasmus rendereth this reason of the animosity of the Church of Rome against Luther seeking after Reformation that hee medleth with the Popes crowne and the Monkes bellies 4. It is observed by Politicians and we have found it in experience that Church-men doe not onely beare with different Religions and suffer division both in Church and Policie to rise and grow but doe also foment and cherish the contrarie factions that they themselves may grow bigge and swell to a greatnesse while both sides have their dependance upon them and hath their thoughts busied about other matters then about Church-government and the ambition pompe and other corruptions of Church governours 5. None of all the reformed Churches although in Nations farre distant one from another and under diverse princes and Magistrates are at so great a difference in Church-government as these two Kingdomes which are in one Yland and under one Monarch which made King Iames of happie memorie to labour to bring them under one forme of government But since all the question is whither of the two Church-governments shall have place in both Nations for we know no third forme of the government of a nationall Church distant from these we doe not presume to propone the forme of government of the Church of Scotland as a paterne of the Church of England but doe only represent in all modestie these few considerations according to the trust committed unto us 1. The government of the Church of Scotland is the same with the government of all the reformed Churches and hath beene by them universally received and practised with the reformation of the doctrine and worship from which so far as we depart We disjoyne our selves as farre from them and welosse so much of our harmonic with them Whence it is that from other reformed Churches it hath beene written to the Church of Scotland That it was a great gift of God that they had brought together into Scotland the puritie of Religion and Discipline whereby the doctrine is safely keeped praying and beseeching them so to keepe those two together as beeing assured that if the one fall the other can not long stand Vpon the other part the government of the Church of England was not changed with the doctrine at the time of the reformation The Pope was rejected but his Hierarchie was retained which hath beene a ground of jealousie and suspition to the reformed Churches of continuall contention in the Church of England these foure-score years past since the beginning of Queen Elizabeth her reigne and of hopes and expectation to the church of Rome for saith Coulzen in his politicks l. 2. c. 18. Were all England brought once to approve of Bishops it were easie to reduce it to the church of Rome But what one Prince hath begun and by reason of the times or of other hinderances could not promote or perfect an other raised up by the mercie of God may bring to passe according to the example of good Iosiah like unto whom there was no King before which we heartily wish may bee verified of King Charles 2. The Church of Scotland hath beene continually and sundrie wayes vexed and disquieted by the Bishops of England First by the continuall and restlesse negotiation of the prime Prelates in England with some of that faction in Scotland both before the comming of King Iames into England which we are ready to make manifest and since his comming till at last a kind of Episcopacie was erected there by the power of the Prelates of England against the confession of Faith the Covenant and actes of the nationall assemblies of the Church of Scotland Secondly the Prelates of England without the consent or knowledge of the church of Scotland gave Episcopall consecration to some corrupt members of the Church of Scotland and sent them home to consecrat others like unto themselves And when some great men have beene for their obstinacie in papistrie excommunicat by the Church of Scotland they have been absolved from the sentence by the Prelates of England So that they have usurped the power of that which indeed is the highest point of jurisdiction Thirdly they rested not here but proceeded to change the forme of divine worship and for many yeares bred a great disturbance both to Pastours and people by five Articles of conformitie with the Church of England Fourthly having in the former prevailed and finding their opportunitie and a rare concurse of many powerfull hands and heads readie to cooperate they made strong assaults upon the whole externall worship and doctrine of our Church by inforcing upon us a popish book of common prayer for making Scotland first as the weaker and thereafter England conforme to Rome And upon the consciences liberties and goods of the people by a booke of canons and constitutions Ecclesiasticall establishing a tyrannicall power in the persons of our Prelats and abolishing the whole Discipline and government of our Church without so much as consulting with any Presbyterie Synod or Assembly in all the land Fifthly They procured subsidies to be lifted for warre against us under the paine of deprivation to all of the Clergie who should refuse Sixthly They commanded both preaching and imprecations against us as enemies to God and the King Seventhly they have received into the ministerie and provided place