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	time_n	8,434	5	3.6763	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28513	True peace, or, A moderate discourse to compose the unsettled consciences and greatest differences in ecclesiastical affaires written long since by the no less famous then learned Sir Francis Bacon ...	Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626.	1662 (1662)	Wing B339; ESTC R37050	17,173	50

to themselves light and perfection They say the Church of England in King Edwards time and the beginning of her Majesties was but in the cradle and that the Bishops of those daies did somewhat for day-breake but the maturity and fulnesse of light proceeded from themselves So Sabinus Bishop of Heraclea of Macedonia said that the Fathers in the councell of Nice were but infants and ignorant men that the Church was not so to persist in their decrees as to refuse that farther ripnesse of knowledge which the time had revealed And as they censure vertuous men by the names of civill and moral so doe they censure men truely and godly-wise who see the vanity of their assertion by the names of Politique saying that their wisedome is but carnall and favouring of mans braine So likewise if a Preacher preach with care and meditation I speake not of the vaine Scholasticall forme and manner of preaching but soundly indeed ordering the matter he handleth distinctly and draweth it downe from authorising of it by strong proofes and warrents they censure it as a forme of preaching not becoming the simplicity of the Gospel and referre it to the reprehension of Saint Paul speaking of the intising speech of mans wisedome Now for their owne manner of preaching what is it Surely they exhort well and worke compuction of minde and bring men vell to the question Viri fratres quid age● us but that is not enough except they resolve this question They handle matters of controversies weakly and obiter and as before a people that will accept of any thing in doctrine or manners there is little but generality and repetition They move the bread of life and tosse it up and downe they breake it not They draw not their directions downe ad casus conscientiae that a man may be warranted in his particular actions whether they be lawfull or not neither indeed are they able to doe it what through want of grounded knowledge what through want of study and time It is an easie thing to call for observation of the Sabbath day and to speake against unlawfull gaine but what actions and workes may be done upon the Sabbath day and in what cases and what courses of gaine are lawfull and what not to set this downe and to cleare so the whole matter with good distinctions and decisions is a matter of great knowledge and labour and asketh much meditation and conversation in the Scriptures and other helpes which God hath provided preserved for instruction They carry not equall hand in teaching the people their lawfull liberties as well as their restraines and prohibitions But they thinke a man cannot goe too farre in keeping a commandement they forget that there are sinnes on the right hand as well as on the left and that the sword is double edged and cutteth on both sides as well the superstitious observances as the profane transgressions Who doubteth but it is as unlawfull to shut where God hath opened as to open where God hath shut to binde where God hath loosed and to loose where God hath bound Amongst men it is as ill taken to turne backe favours as to disobey commandements In this kinde of zeale for example they have pronounced generally and without difference all untruth is unlawfull notwithstanding that the Midwives have been reported to have been blessed in their excuse and Rahab is said by faith to have concealed the spies Farther I heard some Sermons of mortification which I think with very good meaning they have preached out of their owne experience and exercise and things in private counsell not unmeet but surely no sound conceits much like to Parsons his Resolutions or not so good rather apt to breed in men weak opinions and perplexed despaires then filiall and true repentance which is sought Another point of great inconvenience and perill is to intice the people to heare controversies and all manner of doctrine they say no part of the counsell of God is to bee suppressed nor the people defrauded So as the difference which the Apostle maketh between milke and strong meats is confounded and his precept that the weake bee not admitted to questions controversies taketh no place But most of all it is to be suspected as a seed of further inconvenience for manner of handling the Scriptures for while they seek expresse Scripture for every thing and that they have in a manner deprived themselves and the Church of a speciall helpe and support by embracing the authority of Fathers they resort to naked examples conceited inferences and forced allusions such as doe bring ruine to all certainty of Religion Another extremity is that excessive magnifying of that which though it be a principall and holy institution yet hath limites as all things else have We see in a manner wheresoever they find in the Scriptures the word spoken of they expound it of preaching They have made it almost of the Essence of the sacrament of the Lords supper to have a sermon precedent They have in manner annihilated liturgies and formes of divine service As for the life of the good Monkes and eremites of the Primitive Church I know they will condemne a man as halfe a Papist if he should maintaine them as other then prophane because they heard no preaching In the meane time what preaching is and who may be said to preach they make no question But as farre as I see every man that speaketh in chaire is counted a preacher But I am assured that not a few that call wholly for a preaching ministerie deserve to be of the first themselves that should be expelled These and some other errors and misproceedings they doe fortifie and increase by being so greatly addicted to their opinions and impatient to heare contradiction or argument Yea I know some of them that would thinke it a tempting of God to heare or read what may be said against them As if there could be a Quod bonum è tenete without an Omne probate going before This may suffice to offer unto themselves a view and consideration whether they do well or no to correct asswage the partiallity of their followers and dependents For as for any man that shall hereby enter into a contempt of their Ministery it is but his owne hardnesse of heart I know the word of exhortation doth chiefly rest upon these men and they have zeale and hate of sinne But againe let them take heed that it be not true which one of their adversaries saith against them that they have but two small wants knowledge and love And so I conclude the fourth part The last point teaching the due publishing and debating of these controversies needeth no long speech this strange abuse of Antiques and Pasquils hath been touched before So likewise I repent not that which I said before that a character of love is more proper for debates of this nature then that of zeale As for all direct and direct glaunces or levels of mens persons they were ever in these cases disallowed Lastly whatsoever is pretended the people is no meet judge or arbitrator but rather the moderate quiet and private assemblies of the learned Qui apud in capace loquitur non disceptat sed calumniatur The Presse Pulpit would be morefreed and discharged neither promotion on the one side nor glory and heat on the other ought to continue these chalenges at the Crosse and such places But rather all Preachers especially such as are of a good temper and have wisedome with conscience ought to inculcate and beat upon a place peace silence and sufferance Neither let them feare Solons law which compelled in factions every particular person to range himselfe on the one side or the other nor the fond calumnie of neutrality But let them know that it was true which was said by a wise man that neuters in contention were better or worse then either side These things have I in all syncerity and simplicity set downe touching the controversies which now trouble the Church of England and that without all art or insinuation and therefore not likely to be gratefull to either part Notwithstanding I trust what hath been said shall finde a correspondence in their minde who are not embarked with partiality and which love the whole better then the part Whereby I am not out of hope that it may doe good At least I shall not repent my selfe of the meditation FINIS