Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A13261
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A Christian loue-letter sent particularly to K.T. a gentlewoman mis-styled a Catholicke, but generallie intended to all of the Romish religion, to labour their conuersion to the true faith of Christ Iesus. By Iohn Swynnerton, Gent
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Swynnerton, John.
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1606
(1606)
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STC 23558; ESTC S120777
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49,016
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88
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A CHRISTIAN LOVE-LETTER Sent particularly to K.T. a Gentlewoman mis-styled A CATHOLICKE but generallie intended to all of the Romish Religion to labour their conuersion to the true faith of CHRIST IESVS 2. Esdras 3 31. Are the deedes of Babylon better then they of Sion By Iohn Swynnerton Gent PRVDENTIA Printed by W. Iaggard dwelling in Barbican 1606. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE and Honorable Robert Earle of Salisburie vicount Cranborne Baron of Essingdon principall Secretarie to his Maiestie Mayster of the court of Wardes and Liueries Chancellor of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge knight of the Noble order of the Garter and one of his Highnesse most Honorable priuy Councell RIght Honorable and my most honored Lord albeit I haue no special place allotted mee in the building of the holy Temple of our Sauior yet I hope I may be permitted to behold with ioy of my soule the rising of those beautifull wals and now and then out of a zealous desire to haue the worke go forvvard set my hand thereunto though I ranke my selfe but amongst the meanest of the labourers those 3. score and ten thousand that beare burthens I presume I may and haue therefore brought this little Stone or peece of morter or vvhatsoeuer it proue to further that holy building The rather because it is so maliciously withstood by the crooked generation of Iannes and Iambres who albeit they shall not preuaile as the Apostle assureth them for truth must haue that priuiledge bend notwithstanding all their povver against it do their vttermost to laie the same though it be Gods owne house leuell vvith the ground vvho can be silent that hath tongue or pen in such a cause It is our maisters owne quarrell Canes latrant pro Dominis suis tu non me vis saith a learned Father latrare pro christo Yet what I haue written is but a letter and that a Loue-letter but it is most Noble Lord A christian Loue-letter persvvading al though perticularly directed to one of the Romishe religion with mild and charitable phrase to a true faith in the bloud of Christ Ihesus This letter I make bold but in most humble manner to present vnto your Ho. Which in respect of the Author after the Phylosophers rule I will neither praise nor dispraise Laudare se vani vituperare stulti yet thus much it concerneth me to make knowne without imputation of arrogancy I may report that when I had writ this treatise dreading the insufficiencie or partiallity of mine owne iudgement I appealed vnto two most reuerend and learned Diuines for their censure vvho vvhen they had perused it sent me away my pains comended the booke not discommended nor my selfe any way discouraged Othervvise it should neuer haue selt the presse at least neuer haue presumed vpon so Honorable patronage Notwithstanding I confesse it is vnvvorthy your regard But I hope your Hon will deale no vvorse vvith me then Christ did vvith the poore Widdovv in the Gospell shee brought her farthing I bring as much Ioffer all I haue she offerd no more and that vvhich maketh a Mite a Million vvith a free hart I cast it into the tresurie As a pledge therfore of my loue to the church of Christ my loyaltie to my King and country and lastly of my most humble and my most dutifull affection vnto your Ho though I am vnknovvn vnto you as for any extraordinary means I haue I am euer likely to be I most humblie beseech your Lo that the same may find your How and gratious acceptance Deuoted in all duty and seruice vnto your Hon Iohn Svvynnerton A CHRISTIAN Loue-Letter Sent to a Gentlewoman mis-stiled a CATHOLICKE to labour hir conuersion to the true Catholicke faith of CHRIST IESVS ALthough Mistris KATHARINE from the houre I first vnderstood how pittifully you were miscaried in matter of Religion how erroneouslie misled in your manner of doing seruice to the Almighty I euer held and not ignorant of the diuine prohibition of rash iudgment the state of your better part to be dangerous yet hauing more then cursorilie pervsed that worthie peece of work as you take it the little booke you sent me I conceiued a stronger ground for my opinion and might discern methoght more cleerlie euen a lamentablenes in your condition to haue your soule after such sort to be fed or rather feasted and not fed or rather filled and not feasted but to speake most properly neither fed nor feasted nor filled but flatly poisoned with such Italian drugs with such superstitious and Antichristian confections as in the said booke and diuers other your irreligious Pamphlets of like subiect are compounded while that bread of life which onely should feed it is not hungred after that vncorruptible Manna wherewith onely it ought to be feasted is not gathered that eternall food which onely hath power to fill it is not set by I meane while the true wholsome receit indeed is reiected the pure and heauen and earth-out lasting worde of God neither reade nor regarded I haue felt my heart out of the generall loue of a christian and my more particular affection towardes you almost melt into sorrowe and compassion to think how youly slabbering in these corrupted puddles of mans erronious inuentions yet neuer the more clensed when you might with asmuch ease and much better welcome enter that liuesome Bath of Gods owne founding his sacred scriptures whose waters are of admirable operation and by the hand of his blessed spirite woulde be sure to wash not onely your feete as Iob speaketh but your handes and your head also as Peter prayed Iob. 29 6 yea euen your soule likewise Iohn 13 9 Psal 19 7 as Dauid affirmeth and make you all ouer as white as snow in Salmon You may not alledge that the booke of God is lost or cast into a corner as it was in the daies of Iosias or that his sacred writings 2 chr 34 14 Iere. 36 23 are cut in peeces and throwne into the fire as they were by the handes of Iehoiachim You cannot pleade any famine of the worde of God which of all other inflictions the Lord for his mercye sake euermore auert from our nation that shoulde inforce you to feede so eagerly vpon such grosse and vnwholsome garbadge for a greater plenty and freer passage thereof the King of heauen haue the glorye as we haue the gaine neuer any kingdome of the earth I thinke inioyed The truth is neither you nor the greatest clark that euer breathd superstition vpon you can bring a substantiall reason to excuse your vnacquaintance with the scriptures considering you may read them and heare them truely read and expounded if you please and that it is our sauiours owne precept Search the scriptures Iohn 5 39 Mar. 12 29 and a conclusion of his owne framing Erre not knowing the Scriptures If an ordinarie friende should counsell you to doe a thing within your power that would be neither chargable nor trouble some