Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	church_n	doctrine_n	reform_a	3,865	5	10.2412	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A82298	A collection of speeches of the Right Honourable Henry late Earl of Warrington, viz. I. His speech upon him being sworn mayor of Chester, in November, 1691. II. His speech to the grand-jury at Chester, April 13. 1692. III. His charge to the grand-jury at the quarter-sessions held for the county of Chester, on the 11th. of Octob. 1692 IV. His charge to the grand-jury at the quarter-sessions. Held for the county of Chester, on the 25th. day of April, 1693	Warrington, Henry Booth, Earl of, 1652-1694. Selections.	1694 (1694)	Wing D876; ESTC R11819	38,885	113

These things Gentlemen I in particular recommend to you not as all you business but yet as things that cry aloud for redress for there does fall within your Enquiry High-Treasons Petty-Treasons Felonies of all sorts whether against the Person Possession or Goods of a man Riots Routs and unlawful Assemblies and every thing that is an Offence against the Publick Peace in which I am not more particular because I fear I have held you too long already and therefore I will trouble you no farther but pray God to direct you in your Business FINIS BOOKS Printed for R. Baldwin MErcurius Britannicus Or the New Observator Containing Reflections upon the most Remarkable Events falling out from time to time in Europe and more particularly in England The Fifth Volume Printed for Ric. Baldwin where are also to be had the First Second Third and Fourth Volumes with the Appendix to them The Speech of the Right Honourable Thomas Earl of Stamford Lord Gray of Grooby c. at the General Quarter-Sessions held for the County of Leicester at Michaelmas 1691. His Lordship being made Custos Rotulorum for the said County by the late Lord Commissioners of the Great Seal Bibliotheca Politica Or a Discourse by way of Dialogue Whether Absolute Non-Resistance of the Supreme Powers be enjoined by the Doctrine of the Gospel and was the Ancient Practise of the Primitive Church and the constant Doctrine of our Reformed Church of England Collected out of the most approved Authors both Ancient and Modern Dialogue the Fourth Printed for R. Baldwin where also may be had the First Second and Third Dialogues A Project of a Descent upon France By a Person of Quality A True Relation of the Cruelties and Barbarities of the French upon the English Prisoners of War being a Journal of their Travels from Dinant in Britany to Thoulon in Provence and back again With a Description of the Scituation and Fortifications of all the Eminent Towns upon the Road and their Distance Of their Prisons and Hospitals and the number of men that died under their Cruelty c. Europe's Chains broke or a sure and speedy Project to rescue her from the present Usurpations of the Tyrant of France Reflections upon the late King James's Declaration lately Dispersed by the Jacobites Truth brought to Light or the History of the first 14 years of King James I. In Four Ports I The happy state of England at his Majesty's Entrance the corruption of it afterwards With the Rise of Particular Favourites and the Divisions between this and other States abroad II. The Divorce betwixt the Lady Frances Howard and Robert Earl of Essex before the King's Delegates authorized under the King's Broad-Seal As also the Arraignment of Sir Jer. Ellis Lieutenant of the Tower c. about the murther of Sir Tho. Overbury with all Proceedings thereupon and the King 's gracious Pardon and Favour to the Coun●●ss III. A Declaration of his Majesty's Revenue since he came to the Crown of England with the Annual Issues Gifts Pensions and extraordinary Disbursements IV. The Commissions and Warrants for the b●rning of two Hereticks newly revived with two Pardons one for Theop●●●●s Higgons the other for Sir Eustace Hart. A Sermon preached before the General and Officers in the King's Chappel at Portsmouth on Sunday July 24. 1692 Being the day before they Embarqu'd for the Descent upon France By Willam Gallaway A.M. Chaplain to Their Majesties Sea-Train of Artillery THE Lord DELAMERE's CHARGE TO THE GRAND JURY OF CHESTER THE CHARGE Of the Right Honourable HENRY Earl of WARRINGTON TO THE GRAND JURY AT THE QUARTER SESSIONS Held for the County of Chester On the 11th of October 1692. LONDON Printed for Richard Baldwin near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane 1693. THE CHARGE Of the Right Honourable HENRY Earl of WARRINGTON TO THE GRAND JURY c. GENTLEMEN PEACE in a Nation is like Health in a Natural Body whose value is not sufficiently known but by the want of it and herein God Almighty is wonderfully gracious to this Land not only in continuing to us the Blessing of Peace but in teaching us the worth of it by letting us see the Nations round about us in War and groaning under all the miserable Effects of it whilst it is kept at a distance from Us and we are only at some Expence which is unavoidable all Circumstances considered unless we will submit to that Monster the French King And indeed God hath done so many and great things for us that nothing is wanting to compleat our Happiness but our selves Of all the Mercies this Nation hath lately received I think our Deliverance from King James was none of the least if it be a Mercy to be delivered from Popery and Slavery That we were in great danger thereof I think was very evident from what we had suffered and what King James apparently further designed to have done had he been let alone a little longer for his Administration was become so iexorbitant that Men of all persuasions many of the Papists not excepted did think his Yoke intolerable and that it was highly just to be relieved against his Oppressions for when the Prince of Orange landed scarce any Man appeared for King James nay a great many of his Army deserted him which coldness and neglect could not probably proceed from any thing so much as from the ill opinion they had of his Cause Now if any that were then so indifferent and passive have lately conceived a better Opinion of him it may well be suspected that a particular Picque or some Sinister Byas guided their motion at that time and if so it 's no matter what side they are on for those who are governed in such cases by any thing but a publick Principle are easily turned about by every breath of Air Nor can I imagine what can give any man a better opinion of King James now than he had of him before he went into France the only place as he says he could retire to with safety considering how improbable it is that any Instructions which that Tyrant may give him will make him less inclined to Popery and Arbitrary Power Before I come to the Particulars of your Enquiry give me leave to say something of a great Deliverance which God wrought for us this Year To talk of Plots and Conspiracies against the Government may be rather to tell some people News than that which they do believe because we have already heard of many Discoveries of Plots but none that have been prosecuted and for that reason men may be inclined to think they were rather Fictitious than real Plots against the Government Plots sometimes are not prosecuted either because of the great indulgence of the Government being desirous to gain people rather by mercy than by being too extream to mark what is done amiss or it may be because the Government hath a more than ordinary tenderness for that sort of People or it may be because some of

Mr. Hot-head forbear your indecent language you are too rude in your Expressions what need you trouble your self so much about the Church seeing you your self never go to Church To which Hot head in great fury presently makes answer with a horrid Oath What though I do not go to Church yet I am for the Church This Gentlemen I believe you and every man else can easily apply I could never yet meet with any precept in all the Gospel that doth justifie such proceedings as I have mentioned but there are several that expresly condemn it To me it seems altogether inconsistent with that Charity which is expected to be found in all those that hope to enter into Heaven and it seems to be little less than Teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of men and to add to God's Word which is prohibited under no less a penalty than that of Damnation I am far from being against Order and Decency to be observed in the Church yet under that pretence we are not to forget the Rule of Charity And I cannot see wherefore those should be terms of Communion that are not terms of Salvation I was always of Opinion That it would never go well with England till every man might Worship God in his own way for nothing can be more unreasonable than to expect that a man should believe otherwise than according to the conviction that is upon him or that one man's Opinion should be a Rule or Guide to another man's Conscience And therefore I cannot but wonder at those who take offence at the late Act of Indulgence which tends so much to our Peace by quieting the Minds of the People as to their Religion which hath ever been the handle to our intestine Troubles the Incendiaries of the State having ever made use of it as the best pretence to embroyl the Nation And therefore I for my part do think that the Act of Indulgence was a necessary and Pious Work and cannot imagine why any man should think that to be a disservice to the Church that tends to the Peace of the Nation They who do so I must believe are not much concerned in the Cause of the Chureh and their Country and care not what is uppermost provided they can but make fair Weather for themselves Therefore Gentlemen if any speak to the disadvantage of the Act of Indulgence you ought to present them as disaffected to the Government and sowers of the seeds of Division in the State But I desire to be rightly understood I do not say this to disswade any man from coming to the Church For I go constantly thither my self and I wish every body could do it as easily as I do and I wonder 't is otherwise for I never yet heard any good reason for the practising the contrary Yet I think unless a man be satisfied in that way of Worship it is better to keep away than to come for otherwise it is to mock and not to Serve God and on the other hand it is no less a mocking of God when a man from an over-assurance of the Gift of Prayer shall adventure to Pray in Publick without having before hand well digested his Matter and Words and therefore may happen to let fall crude and nautious Expressions such as would be ridiculous in private Conversation for I am far from believing that Nonsence can be the effect of Fervency but rather of Affectation or something that is very reproveable And here it will not be amiss or improper to take notice of those Persons who go to no Church at all but spend the Lords day commonly called Sunday as the Statute hath it in an Ale-house or otherwise idle it away very unprofitably against such as these was that Law of Twelve-Pence a Sunday intended and were it duly put in Execution a great deal of that dishonour that is done to God by such Profanation would be prevented and the Poor would be relieved with less charge to their respective Parishes I wonder the Petty Constables are not more careful to make true Presentments at every Petty Sessions of those who herein offend the Glory of God and their own Interest being so nearly I may say so immediately concerned The next thing I would recommend to you is As far as in you lies to suppress that horrible Sin of customary Swearing whereby the Tremendous Name of God is every day Blasphemed It is too true that scarce any man when Provoked or in Passion has guard enough over himself to prevent his taking the Holy Name of God into his Mouth and if any of us fall into that sad misfortune we ought solemnly to beg forgiveness of it But yet that whereby God's Honour suffers most is customary Swearing when men do not think they express themselves handsomely without an horrible Oath or more to fringe off their Sentences It is such a daring familiarity with God Almighty as no man would allow to his best Friends I believe there is not any of you Gentlemen but would be very angry to have your own Names used upon every slight and trivial occasion and if so I will not imagine that you will be less concerned for God's Honour than for your own It is a shameful thing to see how very much the High ways are generally neglected and out of Repair the fault of which does mostly lye at the door of the Overseers whose chiefest care in them now-a-days is how to shuffle off the matter for their time being very little concerned for what comes after them and by this means they bring at last a great burthen upon their Townships which would have been prevented by a small charge if but taken in time and so the Township suffers through their neglect There are very good Laws against Vagabonds but the Execution of them is shamefully neglected and it is strange it should be so considering what Incouragement the Law gives for the apprehending of such idle People For who ever brings any of those Wanderers before a Justice of Peace The Towns through which they last past Unpunished is to Pay Two Shillings a piece to him that apprehended them Though this Reward carry no weight with it yet the great Mischief that those sort of People bring upon the Publick should make every body vigilant It is an incredible Sum that they cost the Nation in a year and considering how many Townships and Parishes are oppressed and almost ruined by the Accidents that are hereby brought upon them it is wonderful that People should rather chuse to Forswear themselves than do their Duty but so it is in this Case Were these Wanderers duly Punished it would reform many of them and discourage others from following so bad an example whereas the great remisness of Constables and other Officers in this point is a great temptation to many who otherwise would think of some more Lawful as well as Profitable ways of living A neglect and slowness to Punish increases the number of Offenders

Thing that he hath reproved and punished in another This judging the Thing by the Person is that by which Men commonly deceive themselves so very much or else they would make a righter Judgment than for the most part they do How happy is that Prince then whilst he is on this side the Grave and how glorious will be his Memory who is not afraid or shy even to have his Actions examined that Mankind as well as his own Conscience may bear him testimony that he governs according to Law and makes the Good of his People the End of his Government Before I proceed any further I would be rightly understood in what I have already said because possibly either through Mistake or through Malice some may infer that I would persuade you to take more care of your Liberties than of your Religion by reason that I have said so much of the former But far be so Atheistical a Thought from me I bless God it never yet entered into my Heart although I am not so Religious as I ought to be yet I think our Religion to be more valuable than any other thing whatever for if God should take away the Light of his Gospel from us it would be the severest Judgment that he could visit us with and therefore I have pressed you to take care of your Liberty as the surest Means by which you can preserve your Religion and in so doing I conceive I have shewn a Zeal for rather than a Neglect of it It is to be wish'd by all those who desire the Peace of their Country that Religion were more in fashion among us than it is for no Nation did ever thrive where it was neglected and it is to be feared that God will have a Controversy with this Land if Swearing and Drinking which are now become so common be not speedily suppressed and the corrupt Manners of the Nation reformed But before I speak more particularly upon them give me leave to observe something to you upon two Things which are very injurious to Religion and yet are done out of a pretended Care and Tenderness for it The first is when Protestants break into several Sects and distinct Congregations and not being content with worshipping God in their own Way are uneasy at all others who follow not with them Every one being so assured that they are not mistaken that they will not allow any but themselves to be in the Right and therefore leave the excellent Rule of Charity to follow a blind Infallibility 'T is true indeed whilst we are upon Earth we shall have different Sentiments and Opinions and it is not possible for us to help it because our Reason is too short-sighted and purblind but yet we may all agree to have a mutual Charity for one another and then every Man will be the better for his Religion and no Body will be the worse for it For otherwise instead of promoting Religion we eat out the Bowels of it that is we destroy that Charity without which we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But alas it is come to this that one is for Paul another for Apollos and another for Cephas One asks of such a one Is he a true Son of the Church of England A Second enquires Whether he is of such a Congregation A Third demands to know if he follows such a Man If so all is well and with them he must pass for a good Man without examining into his Life and Morals But what doth all this amount to Am I the better for being of such a Man's Opinion or of such a Communion unless I am a Doer as well as a Hearer of the Word Or what is another Man the worse because he is not of my Opinion if he lives a better Life than I do This Zeal for a Party is a Zeal rather to be reproved than to invite others to the Practice of it for it is not an Argument of Religion but a Sign of Pharisaical Pride when a Man is uneasy with another because he worships God in a Way different from him for if any Man desires to live as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to that end doth daily try and examine himself he will find himself to be more amiss therein than he can discover in others and therefore to lead a good Life is the best Argument that any Man can use to persuade another to be of his Opinion The next thing which is injurious to Religion is when the Discipline and Government of the Church interfere with the State breaking into the Methods and Foundation of it to advance the Power and Greatness of the Clergy This soon becomes mischievous to Religion for as it doth in no sort promote God's Glory or tend to the Reforming of Mens Manners so when the People find their Liberties crowded to make Elbow-room for the Clergy and that the Government of the Church will help to make them Slaves they will be very apt to abhor the Offerings of the Lord. And therefore in all well-regulated Constitutions the Government of the Church is moulded according to the Principles upon which the Civil Government stands for if the Church were to model the State Christ's Kingdom would be of this World which he hath expresly told us it is not Are not that People then in a sad Condition when that which is amiss in the State must not be reformed for fear of hurting the Church as some do vainly pretend This I say because I am afraid it is something our Case at this time and so the Nation must languish to satisfy the Imaginations of some People who are afraid of their Shadows For how the Church can be hurt by any Laws that concern the State is not easily to be comprehended if those Laws establish no other Gospel than that which was delivered by our Saviour Nothing can hurt the Church but it self and it is never in more Danger than when it is in its greatest Pomp and Grandeur The Deceit of this is very plain Because they that bawl most of the Danger that the Church is in have the least of Religion in their Lives for those who live and understand better see the Folly of it as also of that Doctrine of Passive Obedience and Non-Resistance which many cried up as the Corner-Stone of the Church a Burden which they were forward to lay upon other Peoples Shoulders yet when it came to their own turn none were so uneasy under it as they For when their Rights came to be touched no Mens Mouths were so full of Liberty and Property as theirs but now that the Storm is pretty well blown over they are angry that that Liberty is granted to others which yet they promised to consent to and are returned to where they were in supporting that Arbitrary Doctrine And to that End they are inventing new Titles to the Crown for this King and Queen which plainly demonstrate what steady Men these are since in