Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	council_n	repeal_n	20	3	16.1647	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51887	The second volume of letters writ by a Turkish spy who lived five and forty years undiscover'd at Paris : giving an impartial account to the Divan at Constantinople of the most remarkable transactions of Europe, and discovering several intrigues and secrets of the Christian courts (especially of that of France) continued from the year 1642 to the year 1682 / written originally in Arabick, translated into Italian, and from thence into English, by the translator of the first volume.	Marana, Giovanni Paolo, 1642-1693.; Bradshaw, William, fl. 1700.; Midgley, Robert, 1655?-1723.	1692 (1692)	Wing M565CA; ESTC R35015	169,314	394

of the Grecians shelter'd their new acquir'd Honour under the Protection of the Emperours the Popes partly by Artifice and partly by Force made themselves Lords of Rome and the Adjacent Territories taking Advantage of the Absence of the Emperours the Pusillanimity of the Senators and Discord of the Citizens Supported with this Princely Estate they Excommunicate all the Churches which did not submit to them as the Sovereign Prelates of the Christian World publishing severe Edicts against the Greek Church and doing every Thing that might confirm the World in the Belief of their Authority and Grandeur The Potentates of Europe frightned with the Thunder which the Roman Pontifs used and induced by other Reasons did Homage to them acknowledging their Sovereign Jurisdiction in the West In this State they have continued ever since without yielding in any Thing to the Patriarchs of Constantinople There have been great Endeavours used on both Sides to gain their respective Ends and several General Councils were called that is an Assembly of the Chief Bishops and Doctors of both Churches to examine and decide the Difference And sometimes the Fathers of the Greek Church have subscribed a Submission to the Pope but as soon as they return'd home they have Recanted and the Breach render'd as wide as ever They accuse the Romans of Partiality and say That the Councils were pack'd yet both Parties seem to give an extraordinary Deference to these General Councils believing That the Holy Ghost is there present and guides them into all Truth The Councils which they esteem Infallible have contradicted each other This Repealing what That had Decreed and a Third Disannulling that Repeal The Councils believe themselves above the Pope and the Pope exalts himself above the Councils Sometimes they have Two or Three Popes together all claiming that which can be the Right but of One. In fine they have involved themselves in such a Labyrinth of Disputes and Cavils and are entangl'd in such a Circle of Absurdities that the soberer part of Christians begin to question the Authority both of Popes and Councils Insomuch as it being generally known that the last Assembly of this Kind was manifestly over-ruled by the Agents of the Court of Rome people spar'd not to pass this Jest on it and say That the Holy Ghost was sent from Rome to the Council of Trent in a Cloak-bag intimating thereby the many Instructions and Advices which were continually transmitted from Rome by the Post to the Fathers sitting in that Council whereby all things were determined according to the Pope's Pleasure and to the Advantage of the Roman Court. 'T is certain the Christians now-adays have abated much of that Blind Obedience which they formerly paid to the Roman Pontifs they begin to see with their own Eyes and not with those of their Priests There was a Time when many Kings were made to hold their Crowns in Fee of the Roman Prelate who pretended a Right to dispose of all the Kingdoms and Empires of the Earth as Vicar of God But the Kings of England Suedeland and Denmark with some Princes of the German Empire and the States of Holland have taught others the Way to stand upon their Guard so that though the Emperour of Germany Kings of France Spain and Poland with the Princes of Italy profess an Obedience to the Holy Father yet 't is rather out of a Maxim of Policy than any real Perswasion of Religion The Spaniards seem the most superstitiously Devoted to the See of Rome yet they will not endure the Excommunication which the Pope pronounces against their King above the Space of one Day It seems upon some old Difference between them it is usual for the Holy Father to Excommunicate this Sovereign once a Year that is on the Thursday before Easter which is the same as our Feast of Beiram Now as I am told the Spanish Ambassador next Day presents the Pope with a Gennet or Horse upon which the Censure is taken off This is an Ecclesiastick Juggle and the Court of Rome use a great deal of such Holy Legerdemain to keep the Sons of the Church in their Obedience The French Church though in all Things agreeing and professing an entire Obedience to the Roman yet claims to her self some Immunities and Privileges which the Court of Rome is very loath to grant Hence it comes to pass that there arise frequent Contests between the Popes and the Kings of France which are generally accommodated to the Advantage of the Latter the Pope not being willing to try the Force of THE LAST REASON OF KINGS This is a Motto engraven on the French King's Cannon which he has threatned to carry to the Walls of Rome if the Pope should entrench on the Gallican Rights But though they thus disagree in some Niceties of State yet they and all the Rest of the Nations within the Roman Communion have but one Form of Divine Service which they call the Mass and it is the same with the Grecian Liturgy On Festival Days it is solemnized with Variety of Choice Musick and Singing with Innumerable Wax-Tapers burning at Noon-day I have seen at such a Time Sixteen Priests before the Altar all Vested in most costly Silks embroidered with Gold and Pearls They have also many Chappels and Altars in the same Church and sometimes they Celebrate Mass on all the Altars together differing herein from those of the Greek Communion who have but one Altar in a Temple For which they plead Antiquity it never having been known that the Primitive Christians had any more On the other side the Romans plead Conveniency for the Multitude of their Altars that the Pope has a power to dispense with the Ancient Rites and Traditions in such Cases and that nothing was more reasonable than that their Altars should be multiplied as the Number of their Proselytes and Priests encreas'd I will not pretend to decide this Controversie permit me only to say that the Faithful Mussulmans have more reason to require several Preachers at the same time in our Magnificent Mosques where it is impossible for all the Auditors in so vast an Assembly to hear and understand the Law Expounded by one Man though it be performed in the Vulgar Tongue Whereas their Service is celebrated in a Language whereof the Multitude are utterly ignorant It matters not much whether they are near the Priest at the Altar or afar off since they understand not a Word he says and the Grecians judge it sufficient to be present at this their Daily Sacrifice tho it be at the very Porch of the Temple Another Difference there is also between these Two Churches The Roman allows not a Married Priest unless in some extraordinary Cases and then the Pope's Dispensation must be procured But Concubinage is connived at though forbidden by the Cannons of the Church Whereas thou knowest that all the Grecian Papa's marry and get Children The Spaniards among all the Nations within the Roman Pale are reckon'd the

Calamities made him sell his Estate and travel into these Countries where he might enjoy himself with more Liberty Profit and Ease It is a Dishonour to the Ottoman Port the Seat of Justice the Sanctuary of the World to suffer such Disorders to be committed without due Chastisement within Sight of the Seraglio and by those who have the Honour to guard the Person of the Sultan I represent these Things to thee knowing thy Justice will administer a speedy Remedy to these Distempers of the Soldiery Otherwise should they be suffered to go unpunished we may expect that not only these Islands but all Grecia will in Time be dispeopled Paris 25th of the 11th Moon of the Year 1642. LETTER XXXIII To Cara Haly the Physician at Constantinople SUffer me to converse with thee after the Manner of Friends with Freedom and Familiarity I have often discovered to thee the Distempers of my Body now I will reveal those more dangerous ones of my Mind And I know not whether they are Distempers or Cures of such I have writ to the Mufti on the same Subject in Part but with Caution and Reserve With thee I will deal frankly and pour into thy Bosom the Secrets of my Heart I am dissatisfied in many Things pertaining to Religion 'T is true I cannot think or speak of our Holy Prophet but with infinite Attach and Veneration yet I owe something to my Reason I will believe the Messenger of God was true and perfect but is it a Crime to think his Successors were but Men subject to Frailty and Errour Their Divisions immediately after the Death of our Great Lawgiver justifie this Reflection since the fatal Schism continues to this Day Either the Persians or We must be in the wrong Grant which thou wilt it follows that the Truth was no sooner sown in the World but it sprung up in Mortal Heresies and I find no other Assurance that we are in the Right but the Assertion of our Doctors the Followers of Osman and Ebubecher who for ought I know are no more exempted from Errour than the Disciples of Haly. Both Sides believe the Holy Prophet yet both at Infinite Distance in their Interpretations of his Law Each Party boasts they have the True Sence of the Divine Oractes and curses the opposite for Hereticks Truth cannot be repugnant to it self From this Original Schism well near a Hundred several Sects have sprung each maintaining different Interpretations of the Law While Truth can be but One where shall a Man be sure to find it amongst so many Pretenders to it Think not that I am going to turn Christian because of this Liberty I take to search for Truth For the Case is the same or worse among them Jesus whom our Holy Prophet calls the Breath and Word of God the Reformer of the Law of Moses knowing the Secrets of Hearts and working Miraeles preach'd to the Jews Repentance good Works the Resurrection of the Dead the Day of Judgment the Joys of Paradise and the Torments of Hell He chose Twelve Disciples to disperse his Doctrine over the World But they likewise had Dissentions among themselves after that God had taken the Messias up to Paradise Each Apostle leaving different Traditions behind him in the Countries where he taught Hence sprung the Difference between the Churches of the East and West and those in Aethiopia One following Peter and Paul Another believing John the Third defending the Traditions of Matthew And from these greater Schisms have sprung innumerable smaller Sects and Heresies Each Church and Party Excommunicating Damning and Cursing all the Rest yet all believe they shall be saved Thus is the World at Odds about Religion persecuting biting and devouring one another because they cannot all think alike A singular Argument of Religion and a special Encouragement to gain Proselytes These Considerations have made me a Sceptick in Controverted Points of Faith and Matters of Opinion Onely in this I am fixed That I believe in One Eternal God and reverence his Holy Messengers and Prophets But if an Angel from Heaven should tell me monstrous and incredible Stories of Things repugnant to the common Sense and Reason of all Mankind I would desire him to excuse me if I suspended my Belief I admire the Golden Age when the Infant World had not yet learn'd Bigotry when Humane Reason was not corrupted with Divine Fables and Natural Conscience was the Oracle to which all resorted for Solution of their Doubts before Superstition had begun to dress the Deity in frightful uncouth Shapes Then harmless Innocence could shew her naked Face which now is fain to go disguised No Man was put to Death for Words or Thoughts of Things above his Reach No crafty Numa then had fobb'd upon the Credulous People his feign'd Aegeria Nor Golden-tongu'd Pythagoras could impose the forged Whispers of his Eagle on the silly Crotonians for Sacred Oracles No Wonder-working Magician had led the Rabble by the Nose with his Infernal Juggles but pure and undebauched Reason taught Men to lead Immortal Lives on Earth Tell me O Learned Haly canst thou believe That the Divine Architect had no other Way to make Man than by laying him a Thousand Years broiling in the Sun Or that there is an Apple-Tree growing very near the Throne of God Or that the Angels can stride some Hundred Thousands of Miles at once Can we not go to Paradise unless we swallow these strange Notions Is it not enough to believe in God and Mahomet his Prophet except we will receive all for Truth which the Doctors tell us I Fast and Pray at the appointed Times and sometimes oftner I give Alms I love all the Creatures of God that remain in his Love I am not guilty of Theft Murder nor Adultery I never forswore my self nor bore False Witness Yet when I am recollected I think my self the worst of all Men I think of every Peccadillo I commit with inexpressible Regret If all this is not sufficient to acquit me a true and good Mussulman no Man I hope will blame me if I joyn with an eminent Man in these Western Parts and wish my Soul among the Philosophers Paris 25th of the 11th Moon of the Year 1642. The End of the First Book LETTERS Writ by A SPY at PARIS VOL. II. BOOK II. LETTER I. To the Kaimacham THOU maist remember a Letter I sent thee concerning the Death of Mary de Medicis Queen-Mother and Dowager of France wherein I also spoke of the sudden Sickness of the Cardinal of Richlieu with the Reports Opinions and Prophecies divulged on that Account What Spirit soever inspired those Prophets 't is certain the Event justifies their Predictions For the Cardinal died this very Day being the Fourth of the last Moon in the Year at his Palace in this City being not full Fifty eight Years of Age. I am not very Credulous of Apparitions Ghost and such like Themes of vulgar Superstition yet 't is evident the Cardinal