Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	ceremony_n	church_n	rite_n	3,560	5	9.9325	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53079	A letter from an old Common-Council-man to one of the new Common-Council for this present year 1682, for this honourable city of London	D. N., Old Common-Council-man.	1681 (1681)	Wing N9; ESTC R9745	8,134	4

into the Lutherans Hands and hath ever since continued to the Exclusion of the Calvanists The fatal Consequence whereof hath been this that the Animosities between the Lutherans and the Calvinists made way for the Papists so far that at this day the Papists have as many Churches in that Renowned City as the Lutherans Oh sad fate of Divisions among Protestants But my Curiosity leading me to inquire into the true Reasons how the Papists prevail'd and got ground so fast I was informed that The Calvinists holding a real Sacramental Presence in the Sacrament as we in England do came nearest to the Primitive belief of the Protestant Religion as was used in England The Papists holding Transubstantiation in the Sacrement which is most remote from the true Primitive Opinion of Protestants And the Lutherans holding Consubstantiation in the Sacrament which came nearer to the Papists Tenets then the Calvinists Opinion did and also the Lutherans abounding in Ceremonies as the Papists for the Lutherans have Altars and Candles at their Altars as well as the Papists only the Lutherans Candles are not lighted and the Papists Candles are lighted Now the Lutherans coming so near the Papists in Opinion and Ceremonies and having a Multitude of such Ceremonies as the Papists have These things the People of that Citty report were the occasion of altering the Religious part of their Government And the Reason why the Lutherans inclined to the humour of the Papists was partly to get the upper-hand of the Calvinists and partly because their Ceremonies were so near akind to the Popish Ceremonies Thus we see the sad Effects and Consequences and the imminent Danger that may be feared from such whose Opinion or Ceremonies in Religion Border too near upon the Popish Tenets They will rather favour Popery to their own ruine than tolerate their Protestant Brethren that differ from them in their Ceremonies My design is not to compare our Religion in England with theirs of Dantzick nor to Examine with what expence of Blood in Flames of Martrydome our Ancestors in England purchased our Reformation from the Superstitions if not Idolatrous Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of Rome Nor is it my business to inquire how far our Ceremonies in England do differ from some of those that are practic'd by the Whore of Babylon No no I leave Church-matters to Church-Men for I am one of the Church of England as Establish'd by Law And therefore I leave that matter till the Law shall think fit to alter it by King Lords and Commons I only aim from my Observations of the alteration made in the Religious part of the Government of that City To draw some advantage to the Civil part of Government of this Renowned City of London in the Common-Council whereof Sir you are newly chosen a Member And to prevent a loss of all those great Priviledges and Immunities which this City of London for Ages hath flourishingly enjoyed as a lover of this City whereof I have the happiness to be a Member I could not forbear to Caution you of the great danger you may be in of loosing all that belongs only to Free-men if you admit Vnfree-men to be Electors of such who are to serve in Common-Council Remember Dantzick Faelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum The Business of a Common-Council is to make Laws against the Interest of Vnfree-men and for the benefit of Free-men and to take care for securing the Orphans Estates in the Chamber of London where no Vnfree-mens Childrens Estates can be Deposited And this City Chamber hath for Ages been the best security in the World for Orphans Portions no History can tell you of Orphans that lost their Estates in the Chamber of London and next to God I attribute it to this that Free-men being Common-Council-men have in all Ages made it their Care to fortifie and secure their own Estates to their Orphans and their Posterities But all that they have been so many Ages a doing may be undone at once If you let but one Vnfree-man into the Elections the president of one Unfree Elector may be a president for Two for Two hundred and so at last Vote all Free-men out of the Election Therefore once again I say remember Dantzick It may be objected why then are all Inhabitants summon'd to the Ward-Mote I Answer it is the duty of all Inhabitants Free as well as Vnfree at least once a year for it is but once a year that they are summon'd to appear before the Alderman and Common-Council of each Ward if for no other Reason yet this may be one that notice may be taken who is Free and who is not But suppose it be further objected they are Inhabitants and have they not Right to chuse Officers Yes all Inhabitants Free and Unfree have a Right by Law to choose Constables and Scavingers which latter are but a kind of Surveyors of the High-Waies The reason is this because every Inhabitant has a Right to the Peace that is to be kept by the Constable And every one has benefit by the Conveniences of the High-Waies that are to be kept by the Surveyors And Constables and Surveyors of the Waies are Officers which the Law all over England takes notice of does appoint and direct and the Law the Common and Statute Laws of the Land directs them their Duties But Common-Council-men are not appointed by any Statute or Common Law of the Land but by the special Custom and Laws of the City Enacted as Laws of the City made in Common-Council of the City and what have Vnfree-men to do with choosing such as are not chose into Office by the general Law of the Land but by the particular Law of the City And if you read the Determination of the Common-Council before cited you shall find there that it does only prescribe who shall be Electors of Common-Council-men it expresly Limits the Choice only to Free-men and to such Free-men only as pay Scot and bear Lot and that this Choice shall be free Therefore keep to your own Laws Free-men such as pay Scot and Lot must be the sole Electors and the Elected must be freely Chosen do not let Vnfree-men into the Election as ye tender all your Priviledges Do not admit such for Electors as only pay Scot and will not bear Offices which I take to be the Genuine meaning of bearing of Lot You have many plead Patents and will bear no Office not so much as be a Collector of a Tax though for the King from whom they have their Pattent shall these choose whom they please to be their Asses to bear their Burdens And then that the Choice may be free don't let a Captain or any Officers stand and over-awe Men either not to come except they Vote for them or their Associates or to threaten if they Vote against them then O Sir you Come with a Pike I will make you bring a Musket and to another O you bear but half an Arms