Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	apostle_n	church_n	time_n	1,642	5	3.9468	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40796	A draught of a speech concerning episcopacy by the Lord Viscount Falkland, found since his death amongst his papers, written with his own hand.	Falkland, Lucius Cary, Viscount, 1610?-1643.	1644 (1644)	Wing F319; ESTC R14178	4,893	11

A DRAVGHT OF A SPEECH CONCERNING EPISCOPACY BY THE LORD VISCOVNT FALKLAND Found since his Death amongst his papers Written with his own hand OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniversity 1644. Mr Speaker WHosoever desires this totall change of our present government desires it either out of a conceit that it is unlawfull or inconvenient To both these I shall say something To the first being able to make no such arguments to prove it so my selfe as I conceive likely to be made within the walls of so wise a House I can make no answer to them till I heare them from some other which then if they perswade me not by the liberty of a Committee I shall doe But this in generall in the meantime I shall say that the ground of this government of Episcopacy being so ancient and so generall so uncontradicted in the first and best times that our most laborious Antiquaries can find no Nation no City no Church nor Houses under any other that our first Ecclesiasticall Authors tell us that the Apostles not only allowed but founded Bishops so that the tradition for some books of Scripture which we receive as Canonicall is both lesse ancient lesse generall and lesse uncontradicted I must ask leave to say that though the mystery of iniquity began suddenly to worke yet it did not instantly prevaile it could not ayme at the end of the race as soon as it was started nor could Antichristianisme in so short a time have become so Catholique To the second this I say that in this government there is no inconvenience which might not be sufficiently remedied without destroying the whole and though we had not paird their nailes or rather their Tongues I mean the High-Commission though we should neither give them the direction of strict rules nor the addition of choyce Assisters both which we may doe and suddenly I hope we shall yet the feare sunk into them of this Parliament and the expectation of a Trienniall one would be such bankes to these rivers that we need feare their inundations no more Next I say that if some inconvenience did appeare in this yet since it may also appeare that the change will breed greater I desire those who are led to change by inconveniences only that they will suspend their opinions till they see what is to be laid in the other ballance which I will endeavour The inconveniences of the change are double some that it should be yet done others that it should be at all done the first again double because we have not done what we should doe first and because others have not done what they should doe first That which we should doe first is to agree of a succeeding Forme of Government that every man when he gives his Vote to the destruction of this may be sure that he destroyes not that which he likes better then that which shall succeed it I conceive no man will at this time give this Vote who doth not believe this Government to be the worst that can possibly be devised and for my part if this be thus preposterously done and we left in this blind uncertainty what shall become of us I shall not only doubt all the inconveniences which any Government hath but which any Government may have This I insist on the rather because if we should find cause to wish for this back again we could not have it the means being disperst to restore it again would be a miracle in State like that of the resurrection to Nature That which others should do first is to be gone For if you will do this yet things standing as they do no great cause appearing for so great a change I feare a great Army may be thought to be the cause and I therefore desire to be sure that Newcastle may not be suspected to have any influence upon London that this may not be done till our Brethren be returned to their Patrimony We are now past the inconveniences in poynt of time I now proceed and my first inconvenience of this change is the inconvenience of change it selfe which is so great an inconvenience when the change is great and suddain that in such cases when it is not necessary to change it is necessary not to change To a person formerly intemperate I have known the first prescription of an excellent Physitian to forbeare too good a diet for a good while We have lived long happily and gloriously under this Forme of Government it hath very well agreed with the constitution of our Lawes with the disposition of our People how any other will doe I the lesse know because I know not of any other of which so much as any other Monarchy hath had any experience they all having as I conceive at least Superintendents for life and the meer word Bishop I suppose is no mans aime to destroy nor no mans aime to defend Next Sir I am of opinion that most men desire not this change or else I am certain there hath been very suddenly a great change in men severall Petitions indeed desire it but knowing how concern'd and how united that party is how few would be wanting to so good a worke even those hands which values their number to others are an argument of their paucity to me The numberlesse number of those of a different sense appeare not so publiquely and cry not so loud being persons more quiet as secure in the goodnesse of their Lawes and the wisdome of their Law-makers and because men Petition for what they have not and not for what they have perhaps that the Bishops may not know how many friends their Order hath least they be incouraged to abuse their authority if they knew it to be so generally approved Now Sir though we are trusted by those that sent us in cases wherein their opinions were unknown yet truly if I knew the opinion of the major part of my Town I doubt whether it were the intention of those that trusted me that I should follow my own opinion against theirs at least let us stay till the next Session and consult more particularly with them about it Next Sir it will be the destruction of many estates in which many who may be very innocent persons are legally vested and of many persons who undoubtedly are innocent whose dependances are upon those estates the Apostle saith he that provides not for his family is worse then an infidell this belongs in some analogy to us and truly Sir we provide ill for our family the Common-wealth if we suffer a considerable part of it to be turned out of doores so that for any care is taken by this bill for new dwelling and I will never consent they shall play an after game for all they have either we must see them starve in the streets before us or to avoid that must ship them some whether away like the Moores out of Spaine From the hurt of the Learned I come to