Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	bishop_n	king_n	peace_n	3,233	5	6.1064	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88100	A discourse concerning Puritans. A vindication of those, who uniustly suffer by the mistake, abuse, and misapplication of that name. A tract necessary and usefull for these times.	Ley, John, 1583-1662, attributed name.; Parker, Henry, 1604-1652, attributed name.	1641 (1641)	Wing L1875; Thomason E204_3; ESTC R15236	40,576	60

it selfe was presently taught this lesson for taking his seat in the Chancell according to the Easterne and ancient fashion a Deacon was sent to him in great state to let him understand that none but men in holy Orders might presume to set their feet on that sacred ground This was then the Bishops Law not the Emperours nor knowne in any other of his Dominions but Italy only but sure it was fit discretion that much should bee ascribed by Bishops to that place from which they were to derive much and which wonld be sure to repay their homage with so great an advantage of homage back againe Preaching is now also grown too burthensome and the Lords Day to Priests according to that sanctity which Puritans allow it it requires too much praying preaching singing which are not only to them tedious but also apt means to encrease and foment Puritanisme amongst the people Auricular Confession also is a godly devise to bring the Laity into subjection and to make the people bow before the power of the Keyes and it may aptly force the consciences of Kings themselves to feare the scourges of gowned men Adde lastly Mr. Wats his bodily mortification to Mr. Sparrows confession and then Laymen will be soone inured againe to finde out the fittest penances especially Praesbyteris ars advolvi and so in time their purses their bodies their consciences shall all bee made sensible of the spirituall Scepter of Priests It s no great wonder then if our Court Divines and their dependents doe what they can to draw us neerer daily towards Popery under shew of Antiquity Uniformity and Charity for without all doubt of all Religions Popery is the most beneficiall to Priests most tyrannous to Laymen Neither is it strange that they pretend so much zeale to devotion to the Kings Crowne and Prerogative as things now stand in England as if none truly affected the same but themselves for its cleare that they cannot subject the people but by the King nor the King without the people and so long as they stand possessed of the Kings good opinion no man shall have power to confute them King Jawes is a great instance for Antipuritans and a great prop to the Episcopall Cause it s alleadged of him that Hee hated Puritans for their hatred to Episcopacie and loved Episcopacie for its amity to Monarchie His Aphorisme was No Bishop no King Let us therefore appeale from King James in their words to King James in his owne In his Preface before his Basilicon Doron his words are The style of Puritans properly belongs to that vile Sect of the Anabaptists only called the Family of love Such were Browne Penry Howbeit there are others which participate too much with Anabaptists contemning civill Magistrates c. It is only this sott of men which I wish my sonne to punish in case they refuse to obey Law and cease not to stirre up Rebellion But I protest upon mine Honour I meane it not generally of all Preachers or others which like better of the single forme of Policie in our Church of Scotland then of the many Ceremonies in the Church of England which are perswaded that Bishops smell of a Papall supremacie that Surplices Caps c. are outward badges of popish errours No I am so farre from being contentious in these indifferent things that I doe equally love and honour the learned and grave of either opinion It can no wayes become mee to pronounce sentence so lightly in so old a controversie Since wee all agree in grounds the bitternesse of men in such questions doth but trouble the peace of the Church and give advantage to Papists by our division These were the golden words of that peacefull just Prince upon his second thoughts ô that they were now duly pondred and taken to pieces word for word ô that they were esteemed and understood in their own weight amongst us that they might reconcile our present differences and that the same peace which followed him to his glorious Urne might still blesse these our times O how contrary are these milde words to the unnaturall suggestions of Antipuritans Such as daily accuse all good men for Precisians and all precise men for Puritans and all Puritans for the only Firebrands of the World thus arming the King against his Subjects and by consequence raising Subjects against the King Puritans here are described both what they are and what they are not the King had been misinterpreted before writing generally of Puritans now to avoid all mistake hee expresses himselfe plainly and definitely A Puritan positively in King James his sense is He which imitates Anabaptists in rebellion turbulence and opposition to Law and such are liable to Law but negatively a Puritan in the acception of King James is not Hee which dislikes Episcopacy or the Ceremonious Discipline of England This King James protests upon his Honour though to his great dishonour Hee be now often cited to the contrary As for those which rellish not Bishops and Ceremonies or the English Policie He wishes them to be at peace only with those of the opposite opinion Hee himselfe vowing equall love and honour to the grave and learned of either side and not taking upon him to bee a Judge in so old and difficult a controversie He only like a sweet arbitrator perswades both parties to peace and amity I wish our Bishops would now stand to this arbitration I wish they would neither condemne the Scotch discipline nor urge the English I wish they would put difference betweene seditious and scrupulous Puritans and not inferre the one out of the other I wish they would either disclaim King James as a manifest favourer of Puritans or else imitate him in the same definition and opinion of them K. James further takes notice that the reformation in Scotland was far more disorderly then in England Denmark c. whilst the mayne affaires there were unduly carried by popular tumults and by some fiery-spirited Ministers which having gotten the guiding of the multitude and finding the relish of government sweet did fancie to themselves a democratick forme of policy wherein they were likely to be Tribuni plebis That the Crown might be disincombred of these usurping ringleaders the King advises the Prince to entertaine and advance godly learned and modest Ministers promoting them to Bishopricks but restrayning them heedfully from pride ambition and avarice These things then are hence observable 1. Scotland differs from England in turbulent Ministers Secondly this is imputed to the iniquity of the times not to Puritanisme as if by nature the Scots were more enclining to Puritanisme then other Nations Thirdly notwithstanding that iniquity of those times there was a number sufficient of worthy Ministers fit for preferment Fourthly King James erects Bishops Sees in Scotland for peculiar reasons and therefore He speaks not of Denmark c. Lastly notwithstanding that peculiar reason Hee advises the Prince to be indifferently at war with both

in their owne Canons about Ceremonies and indifferencies and what disturbance hath that violence produced They strive as for the beauty and glory of Religion to bring in the same former of Liturgie the same posture of the Communion-Table the same gesture at the Communion c. in all our three Dominions as if uniformity were alwayes beautifull and yet we see all men are created with severall faces voyces and complexions without any deformity to the universe 'T is not externall variety but internall dissention which spoyles the harmony of Religion and dissention is more nourished by the harshnes of Pastors over their flocks especially over the weake ones in scruples then by permitting various Rites and Formes in the externall worship of God Certainly liberty and variety in indifferences and Ceremonies is more favour'd in Scripture than any universall similitude or rigorous force whatsoever over the perplexed anxious consciences of weake men We see in Scotland where there is no Ceremonies they enjoy that uniformity without contention which wee ayme at onely and seeke to purchase with infinite debate and persecution and under their peace and unity the Protestant Religion thrives and Romish Superstition utterly ceases whereas under our strife and disagreement Religion and true Devotion is over-run and over-growne like Corne choaked with weeds Nay it is thought that if our Bishops had bin more gentle-handed all this while towards such as disrelisht Ceremonies for Poperies sake and had rather pitied thē as men of tender consciences than persecuted and defamed them as seditions Puritans these differences had not lasted so long for when the reformation was not yet fully perfected the Puritans of those dayes were more fiery than now but not being so odious in the Church lesse combustion followed thereupon whereas now they are so unmercifully heated that no moderate complyance can serve the turne There seemes now little remaining of Puritanisme but the breathlesse carkas of it and yet till that too be interred and consumed no truce can be admitted The very sufferings of Puritans now are sufficiently quit and imputed as the effects of their owne malice their punishment is argument enough for the desert of their punishment the more they have borne the more they must now beare and the more they now beare the more they shall hereafter Fury is one of the maine thing objected to Puritans but in truth the World has not any thing more furious then such as most pretend against them Hence it is that the hatred of Puritans flowes and descends from the highest of the Clergie to the lowest and young Students in the Vniversity know it now their wisest course to study the defamation of Puritans as the first and most necessary point of their learning and qualification and as their surest path to promotion And to make their detestation sure and themselves irreconciliable they must ingage themselves by some notable service of novelty quarrelling with some point of Protestantisme or refining some point of Popery they must taxe Protestants as some ways injurious to Princes or extoll Papists as zealous observers of Antiquity It must be maintained that Royalty cannot stand without the prop of Episcopacy though it never yet found greater enemy and that Puritanisme only hinders the stretching of our Religion or else Papists and we should soone agree Those of vulgar wits which serve not for such straines that they may be redeemed from suspicion of Puritanisme must doe something factiously or be vitious or else their hopes of preferment are almost desperate Charity to Papists conformity to Ancient Fathers and decent uniformity amongst our selves are the specious colors wherewith they dresse and deck all their pretenses for want of Sectaries living in these days they rake out of their toombs Hacket Copinger Browne c. to upbraid us for want of opposites enow here in England they calumniate the Scots to our dishonour for want of true imputations they forge any crimes how monstrous soever and their most sure one is that which is most undiscernible hypocrisie Neverthelesse it must bee beleeved that the Antipuritan disparages not our Ancestors in the reformation but for love of antiquity not teares in sunder the bonds of Religion Nature Policy betwixt two the most close-united Nations of the World but out of love to unity nor fills whole Kingdomes with bloud but out of love to Order Such was sure Diogenes his humility trampling upon Platoes Couches such was Neroes uniformity setting on sire the streets of Rome Such was Procustes his symmetry cutting his guests according to his beds And therefore it s thought Puritans are not so much hated for their opposition to Ceremonies as Ceremonies are multiplied and inforced for suppression of all zealous Christians under the umbrage of Puritans and that for the same purpose the enemies of Piety have blown those coales which they might have quenched The Bishop of Downe makes a very sharpe speech to the Puritans in Ireland as being very disobedient and animated therein by the Scotish Covenanters but his chiefest eloquence uttered against his owne Countrymen the Scots whom he paints forth as the chiefest Traytors perjured Rebels Heretickes and Hypocrits in the World nay he denounceth them worse than Anabaptists and such as have more than justified the Powder-Traytors and all the rebellious practises of the Jesuites Afterwards he addes also That Puritanisme is not the Nationall sin of Scotland only but that they of the same faction in England had beene as deep in the same condemnation but that they had not so much power See here the lively portraiture of an Antipuritane see a true Boner revived againe but in Protestant habit and for ought I see here are none exempted from this black venomous censure in all the Kings Dominions but those of the Popish and Episcopall Faction It 's not to be wondred at that the King thinks ill of his Subjects or that Burton or Prin suffered worse then Traytors merits It 's rather to be wondred at that our streets doe not runne with blood dayly since this is the Gospell our Reverend Fathers of the Church preach This speech was thought worthy to be dispersed in Print over all our Kingdomes in English but since because it redounds so much to the honour of the three Nations and the repute of Protestant Religion it 's Translated into Latine and Coppies are Printed for all Christendome to take notice of In this speech it s urged that Puritans who began about 80 yeares since have proceeded from bad to worse by six degrees first they did dislike then contemne Bishops then they did disobey their jurisdiction then separate themselves then they fell into the Heresie of holding no difference betweene Bishop and Presbyter lastly they rebelled and grew more immoderate than Anabaptists And here Saint Cyprian is alledged who sayes That the contempt of Bishops is the beginning and ground of all Heresies and Schismes Here we see what Puritanes are the most cursed Miscreants on earth next

we see who Puritans are all such as hold not with Episcopacy that is in probability halfe Ireland more then halfe England all Scotland and many other Protestant Countries King James did put a difference betwixt such as disrelisht Bishops and Ceremonies meerly and such as under that pretext fraudulently sought to perturbe the State and make a factious separation But here the difference of all Puritans is graduall only not substantiall for dislike of Bishops is the beginning of all Heresie and must needs end in Anabaptisme and rebellion How plainly does it here appeare that Episcopacy is the true Helena of all this warre and yet Saint Cyprian is to be understood of the Pastorall function not of the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction of a Bishop or else in his sense the Genevans and the greatest part of Protestants are Heretiques and King James made a frivolous distinction Such stuffe as this had not mis-beseemed a Papist but it s very odde in a Protestant Bishop except wee consider him as one who hath looke back towards the Onions and Flesh-pots of Aegypt and is inamor'd again upon those glorious titles ensignes of Honour and Pompe which Rome confers upon her Courtiers But to conclude this point I wish Princes would not allow such Bishops to be carvers to themselves and make them Judges in cases of their owne interesse they are surely good spectacles for Princes in Theologicall deliberations as Temporall Counsellors are in State affaires but miserable are those Princes whose eyes cannot see without such spectacles If Religion did not prosper worse if peace were not more violated if persecution were not more common in Countries wher Bishops govern than where they are expelled we might suspect the Scots as Hereticall and Rebellious by nature for chusing all the plagues of warre rather then Bishops but when we see the contrary we may aswell listen to the Scots against Bishops as to Bishops against the Scots So much of the Ecclesiasticall Puritan next after whom sprung up the Puritan in Religion of whom I shall speak very briefly There are many men amongst us now which brooke Bishops and Ceremonies well enough and perhaps favourably interpret our late innovations and yet these may be too grave to escape the name of Puritans To be a Protestant may be allowed but to dispute against Papists smels of preciseness to hold the Pope fallible is tolerated but to hold him Antichrist is abominable Puritanisme to goe to Church is fashionable but to complaine of the Masse or to be grieved at the publick countenance of Popery whereby it intwines our Religion and now drinkes up that Sap which is scarce afforded to Protestantisme or at all to take notice how far some of our Divines are hereat conniving if not cooperating is a sumptome of a deepe infected Puritan He that is not moderate in Religion is a Puritan and hee that is not a Cassandrian or of Father Francis Syncters faith is not moderate he savours too much of Calvins grosse learning exploded now by our finest wits But I passe from this kinde of Puritan to another whom I shall call my Politicall Puritan for the bounds of Puritanisme are yet larger and inclose men of other conditions Some there are yet which perhaps disfavour not at all either Ecclesiasticall Policy or moderate Papists and yet neverthelesse this is not sufficient to acquit them from the name of Puritans if they ascribe any thing to the Lawes and Liberties of this Realme or hold the Prerogative royall to be limitable by any Law whatsoever If they hold not against Parliaments and with Ship-money they are injurious to Kings and to be injurious to Kings is proprium quarto modo to a Puritan Our present civill nay more then civill warre with Scotland and all the mischiefes thereon attending the disaffection betweene the King and his Subjects and all the mischiefes thereon attending the discontinuance of Parliaments the proper remedies of all State-maladies and universall grievances which is a mischiefe whereby all mischiefes become incurable all are caused by the abusive mistake and injurious misapplication of this word Puritan The Scots are Puritans and therefore enemies to Monarchy the English are Puritans and therefore haters of Royall prerogative both the Nations have beene hitherto famous for their devout reverence and obsequious zeale to their Princes but now Puritanisme has infected them and perverted them to disloyalty Thus is the Kings heart alienated from his Subjects and by consequence the Subjects loyalty blunted towards him to the incomparable almost irreparable detriment of both neither is this disaccord betweene the King and his best Subjects more fatall and pernicious to the Common-wealth then his accord with the Recusant faction Papists have now gotten the repute of the best Subjects and fittest for trust in places of eminent service nay 't is almost necessary that forraine Papists be brought in for the supporting of the indangered royalty for though the Popish faction at Court be strong and active enough for matter of Counsell yet for matter of force the Puritans in City and Countrey be too predominant The Bishop of Downe in his visitation speech layes all the calamities of Church and Common-wealth upon Non-conformists and for proofe thereof instances in the Covenanters whom he charges of rebellion charging withall that rebellion upon Puritanisme The first thing saies he that made me out of love with that Religion was their injurious dealing with Kings which I observed both in their practice and doctrine He taxes first their doctrine because they deny the Kings supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall and allow Subjects to resist nay and depose their King if he be a Tyrant Surely Ahab could say little for himselfe if he could not lay his owne crimes upon Elijah but see here by what art of confusion all Scots are called Puritans and all Puritans rebels King James spoke not so confusedly as if Puritanisme were a Religion and all that disliked Bishops and Ceremonies were of that Religion and all of that Religion were enemies to Kings If a Bishop needed any proofe if his {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} were not unquestionable I would desire him to prove all Covenanters Puritans and all Puritans denyers of the Kings supremacy or to instance in any Kings which have beene deposed or murdred by Presbyteriall authority How far Bishops have incroached upon Kings is known to al the world our Protestant Bishops lately have by Oath and Canon combined together to bind the Kings hands though hee be Supreme that he shall not governe our Church but by Arch-bishops Bishops Arch-deacons c. and yet these troublers of Israel have the face to taxe Elijah of their owne sin Presbytery indeed has heretofore passed her bounds yet not of late but Episcopacy has ever from Constantine claimed an independence of Divine right till this instant I conceive there are not in all the Kings Dominions three men except Papists and Anabaptists which hold it lawfull to depose or