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A56790 The Bishops looking-glasse, or, The Clergies prospective vvherein they may cleerly see themselves in their persons, offices, in their lives and conversations : laid open by way of inquisition, by the following discourse / by R. P. R. P. 1641 (1641) Wing P96; ESTC R3364 5,230 8

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THE BISHOPS LOOKING-GLASSE OR THE CLERGIES PROSPECTIVE VVherein they may cleerely see themselves in their Persons Offices in their Lives and Conversations Laid open by way of Inquisition by the following Discourse By R. P. LONDON Printed for F. Coules and W. Ley at Paules Chain 1641. THE BISHOPS Looking-Glasse THere is nothing more necessary for Marriners on the vast Ocean than a Prospective glasse to descry their enemies thereby to defend preserve themselvs looking in such a glasse they my perceive things a far off as neare at hand by which meanes they are the sooner readier to oppose an enemy prevent danger Even so necessary is this Mirror this Land-Glasse I intend to treate of a Parliament in this may be discovered who are enemies and who friends to the Kingdome who are friends and who enemies to themselves In this Glasse may be clearely discerned what dangers are neare and how to avoyd and prevent the same This Looking-Glasse I have denominated the Bishops Mirror or the Clergies Prospective not but that it is necessary yea of absolute necessity for the whole State and body Pollitique of this Kingdome to looke into But my reason why I attribute to it this only denomination is because these Persons of the Clergy as well great Prelates as inferious Ministers have been the only Enemies of this Kingdome as well to the Religion as Civill Laws and Statutes ordained for the Government thereof In this Prospective they may if they looke but in it see cleerly themselves and all their actions they may by the same discerne the danger they are in and what meanes they may best use for prevention thereof And in speaking hereof I shall observe 2 principall things 1 The best way to looke in this Glasse to discerne rightly 2 When having perfect sight herein rightly to descry how to preserve the spectators from danger if they perceive themselves defective And first of the manner of looking in this Mirror that is twofold First as the spectators are constrained to present themselves to the view thereof and secondly as voluntarily of themselves looke therein And by this we may perceive the exceeding vertue of this Mirror in drawing to its view like the Load-stone persons be they never so refractory never so obstinate be their hea●ts like Iron this Glasse if but looked into will make them compliable and mollifie their cruell and hard-hartednesse And secondly the vertue thereof in refreshing comforting and curing the wounds sores and diseases the spectators perceive themselves by the same to be infected withall 1 And for the first constrained inspection into this Prospective is a necessary vertue belonging to the same for man by nature given altogether to uncleannes impurity being infected with all kind of wickednes impiety blinded in understanding averse in will and affection to any thing that is good unwilling to looke into and examine themselves or to be discerned and taken notice of by others thereby nourishing and suffering their infectious diseases to spread and increase not onely in themselves to the indangering and hastening of their perpetuall destructions but is catching to others and of such a dangerous nature is this sicknesse of perverse and uncleane spirits that when once caught not easily again to be removed or cured by any ordinary meanes but requires great skill and extraordinary paines to remove and cure the same so that this vertue in this Prospective is for the reasons I have alleaged not only necessary but of absolute necessity 2 Another vertue there is in this Glasse and that is the soveraigne power and efficacy therof in curing and remedyingall diseases and infirmities whatsoever the State is infected withall no ulcer being never so dangerous no sore be it never so infectious but viewing it in this Mirror will receive remedy no discontent or trouble of mind whatsoever of any person of what degree or dignity soever of what function or profession soever ●ut may receive comfort contentment and be pacified if they view themselves in this Prospective and thus much of the 2 prime and soveraigne vertues this Glasse is attended and indowed withall I come now to p●osecute my intentions touching the right manner of looking into this Mirror and that as I said is twofold 1 Constrained obedience in presenting themselves to the view of this Glasse the soveraigne power of this Mirror in this particular I have somewhat already touched only serving for proof of the necessity of this vertue I now will handle the vertue it selfe the power and soveraignty of this Prospective is so great and spatious that it brings within its circumference all persons whatsoever in this Kingdom from the highest to the lowest no person be he never so high in authority never so great in honor and dignity never so well favored and beloved either of his Prince or the People of never so holy a function and profession be he of never so politique and subtle a Wit and Vnderstanding be he never so private in his actions and designes but will he nill he he must view himselfe and be viewed in this Glasse if he be within the Circuit and Compasse thereof and thus much shall serve to bee spoken of the power of this Prospective 2 I come to speake of the willing spectators that present themselves to the view thereof in which I observe these particulars 1 Such persons as by command from the King present themselves cheerfully to his Majesty with their advise and counsels in the service both of their King and Countrey 2 Such persons as present themselves to the view of this great Counsell by Petitions and Complaints wherein they set forth their diseases griefes and infirmities wherewith they are pained and oppressed not naturally infected withall The first of these I will not speake otherwise o● than as the only subject of my discourse upon which the second hath its only dependance and from and by which it only expects ease and redresse and this is the only manner and best meanes to discover their griefes and diseases by their Petitions Remonstrances and Complaints and the soonest way for speedy remedy And this brings me to the second thing I intimated at the beginning of this Treatise and that is the diseases and infirmities nay the most dangerousest wounds in a Common-wealth that may be discovered by this Glasse and then the remedies to salve and cure the same 1 The diseases are many and great that have catched and infected both many and great persons and by them cast abroad and spread even over the whole Kingdom I will only name the chiefest and greatest wounds and sores of this State which hath almost brought the same to destruction the persons infected herewith and the Manner of their infecting many others with the same plagues The first disease in this Kingdom was Innovation in Religion 2 Indeavouring to subvert the Laws of this Land 3 To indeavour to overthrow Parliaments and destroy the just rights and Priviledges thereof