Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	henry_n	king_n	pope_n	16,586	5	6.9376	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70084	Truth maintained, or, Positions delivered in a sermon at the Savoy since traduced for dangerous, now asserted for sovnd and safe / by Thomas Fvller.	Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661.; Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661. Sermon of reformation.	1643 (1643)	Wing F2475; ESTC R222778	73,801	126

{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} A Through Rectifying However sometimes the word Reformation is not opposed to things bad in their owne nature but to things that are lesse perfect and may be more perfected as in the Text For the Ceremoniall law of the Jewes was compleat in its kinde as given of God and every thing made by Him must be like Him that made it very good Yet comparatively that law was imperfect and needed a Reformation which was performed at Christs comming Besides though the Ceremoniall Law was good in it selfe yet it was bad as it was abused by the ignorant Jewes For though the knowing Patriarks looked through and beyond the Types to the Messias himselfe yet the dull People mistaking the Shell for the Kernell and the Casket for the Jewell lodged their soules where they should only have bayted and did dote on the shadowes as on the substance it selfe in which respect the Peoples judgements as well as those Ceremonies needed a Reformation The maine point we shall insist on is this That Christians living under the Gospel live in a time of Reformation which will appeare in severall particulars For besides Ceremonies removed according to the principall intent of the Text Manners are now reformed and Doctrine refined Poligamy connived at in the Patriarks now generally condemned the Bill of Divorce cancelled by Christianity which was permitted to the Jewes not because that was good but because they were bad and by this Tolleration were kept from being worse The second Table abused by the restrictive Comments of the Pharisees confining those Lawes which were made to confine them onely to the outward Act are now according to our Saviour interpretation extended to their true demention The mistery of the Trinity clouded in the old Testament is cleered in the New The Doctrine of Gods righteousnesse by faith of the merrit of Christ of the spirit of Adoption of the Resurrection of the Body darkly delivered under the Law are manifested in the Gospel with many other heavenly Revelations Use Let us be hartily thankfull to God who gave us to be borne since the comming of Christ in the time of Reformation Our Twi-light is cleerer then the Jewish Noon-day The men of China use to brag that they because of their ingenious civility have two Eyes the Europaeans one and that all the World besides are starke blinde more truely it may be said that the Christans had two Eyes the Law and Gospell the Jewes but one the Law alone and all people and Pagans besides sit in darknesse and the shadow of death The Jewes indeed saw Christ presented in a land-scept and beheld him through the Perspective of faith seeing the promises a farre off But at this day a Dwarfe-Christian is an overmatch for a gyant Jew in knowledge as appeareth by our Saviours Riddle Mat. 11. 11. Among them that are borne of women there hath not risen a greater then John the Baptist Notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdome of Heaven is greater then he Which Riddle is thus untyed John Baptist was the greatest amongst the Children of Women because other Prophets foresaw Christ He saw him others spake of Christ He spake to him and had the high honour to baptize him with water by whose spirit he himselfe was baptized Yet was he the least in the Kingdome of Heaven which properly began after Cerists Ascention because though perchance acquainted with the generals thereof the particulars of the time place meanes and manner were as much conceal'd from him as cleerly revealed unto us He never knew that Iudas should betray Christ Caiphas accuse him Peter deny him Pilate condeme him Souldiers crucifie him Nicodemus embalme him Ioseph bury him These and many more Circumstances of our Saviours passion Returrection and Ascention now Histories to our Children were Misteries to Iohn Baptist who though Christs Harbinger to prepare his way yet did not live to see his Master to possesse what he had provided for him Wherefore if Alexander the Emperour did count himselfe much indebted to the Gods that he was borne a Grecian and not a Barbarian how thankfull ought we to be to God who gave us to be borne neither Jewes nor Pagans but Christians since the time of Reformation But this indeed were true if all things in the Church continued at this time in the same condition of Primative Purity whereto Christ Reform'd it Object But long since That falling away foretold by the Apostle is come to passe and that man of sinne hath played his part in the Church therein deforming Manners with Vice Doctrine with Heresie Discipline with Superstition As for any Reformation which since hath happened in England it hath been but partiall and imperfect King Henry the eight brake the Popes necke but bruised not the least finger of Popery rejecting his Supremacy but retaining his superstition in the six Articles The Reformation under Edward the sixth was like the Reformer little better then a childe and he must needs be a weake Defender of the Faith who needed a Lord Protector for himselfe As Nurses to woe their Children to part from knives doe suffer them to play with Rattles so the State then permitted the People infants in Piety to please themselves with some frivious points of Popery on condition they would forsake the dangerous opinions thereof As for Queene Elizabeth her Character is given in that plaine but true expression that she swept the Church of England and left all the dust behind the doore Her Successors have gone in the same path and the same pace with little alteration and lesse Addition in matters of Moment save that besides some old errours unamended many Innovations have broken in upon us which might be instanced in were it as safe as it is easie to reckon them up We therefore desire and expect a Through Reformation to see Christ mounted on his Throne with his Scepter in his hand in the Purity of his Ordinances and we shall grieve and groane untill such a Reformation Answ This objection containes many parts and must be taken asunder Some things therein are freely to be granted and others flatly to be denied and others warily to be qualified We freely confesse the Deformation by Popery as also that the Reforming was by Henry the eight and Edward the sixth good Prince of whom I had said that he dyed too soone but because he dyed when God would have him were but partiall and imperfect Withall we flatly deny that Queene Elizabeth left the dust behinde the Doore which she cast out on the Dunghill whence this uncivill expression was raked up The Doctrine by her established and by her Successors maintained in the 39. Articles if declared explained and asserted from false Glosses have all gold no dust or drosse in them Againe we freely confesse that there may be some faults in our Church in matters of practice and Ceremonies and no wonder if there be it would be a Miracle if there were not