The Life of Majler John Fox, d icnce, make fat isfaction to their ·CountJy, and then profecute their private difpleafures, when they are clear of all publick Offence9 : But if they will needs run on ftill in this heat, and after they have neither any hope norcreditlefr, think to frighten us with railing, lfuall (for :~~:;~~v~r~~!dcfi~;~~~r~;~tc~~~fe ~~Ji}~ ~h~~h h~~~~:~~:~}~~e ~feJ~e~~~:!n~~a~~~~ . ~~!i;of~~~~~rJ~e~t~~~: i;e:"t~~~!~~) "~~ ~~=~il~~:~i~~e'd~;~~y3~f~~~~~i~;:Y t~b~;of~ mnch carp at. Let them be Authors of equa l credit. So would the fight be mare honourable, ~tr~~~~ ~ii§~~;itl~f~t~~~c!i1e3~~ect~~irt~~fi;~tvte~ ;:~~~~~~e~h:~Pe~~:f:e'~f:fr~''t}!:;:, by cavilling at this lafifng Work, in their Pamphlets and under-hand lnveGtives, not fuch as the ;udgments of undcrfl:andiog .men, but the fanciesoffome eafierWomen; is there any man fo fenfe· ltfs, as by oppofing them, to make thole Writings oflonger continuance, which would, by being ooumenaoced, in a lbort time be quite for got ten? Ma~~~F~;tl~i~rh~~~~:~~~nm;!p~~~c~~a~~~~f~~~~h ~~~~ ~; t~~g~a~~sh!~e~:~~~nm:~a~~: them. I could produce Letters of his, ~herein he perfivadeth the Lo rds and others, who then held the places ofchiefeA: Authority, not to fuffer EdmHnd CaiJipian, :md his fellow Confpi ra~ !~;~et~t~:npf~~~:tt:3r1 ~~~~fum~~~lc~~~~~ :ni~fl~ft~d~~:et~~n~~rpi~ ~fr!~~~~mA~~a;;::a~~ might fe em only out of the goodnefs of his Nature, and not out of the judgment of his mind to have fo fpoken, he there endeavou reth to prove by many reafons, how much it was to the: weakning of the cJufc, r~ther to follow the example of thei r Adverfaries, in appointing punifh.. ments, than their own mddndi; and that they much rather ought to {hive, as well in mt rcy and clemency to overcome t hem, as they had already in the juftice of their caufe got the upper hand. This he repeated often, adventur ing, even till he was in danger of giving offence by his importunity to im reat for them. Whereas on the other fide the Lords gave him to under· fi:md; That this was a matter ofSt~te, not of Controverfie; That the Kiogs life, the publick Liberty, .and the afiurance oft he Kmdgom refted ~n this Point; That SubjeCts ought by their own pert I to be warned, how they grow too prod1gal of their Countries bldfings; That fucb was the eftate of the Kingdom, as that ncthing could be more glorious, or more fecure, if the Subjet1s, only would confcnt, 'to kct'p thei r abilities to their Countries ufe, nor had it further fa iled of that fe lici ty~ than it had been hindred by the revolts and confpiracies of our own men. ::tthf~~~a~e~~:~o~:~ ~a~~~hF~:n~0fi~~su:e~i~~5bi~~~~~~~, ~~~~t~~~ua~hb~~;;r~~t:It i:~~e:,{'t~::: \9"ereputtodeath. And rhus having feen his moderations to the perfons, it will not be out of the way to add io general what he t~ought ofthe Churches of Romt, and the Bifhop thereof, as far a$ they may be gathered out of h1s Speech~, when being of ripe yean, he had ftrengthened his ;udgment with much experience. The Heads of his Opinions were thefe: Th.!.t among the Chriftian·Churches, the Roman had been in dignity always chiefdt, and of moft Antiquity. That it retained this dignity and opinion many Aga~frer, by little and little growing to greater Authority~ not by confent of people, or by any right to that Glaim, but by reafon of~ certain inclination and cufl:om among men, that where aoy chance far to excel others, they firll: begin to be powerful among the reft, and at length to exercife command over them. That the greate!l: Honour and Aut~o.rity it had, was among thefe Weftern King~ doms, which, as every one moft affCtted the Chrtfl:lao R..eligion, fo were they by the diligence and piety of t he R011wu mofi affifl:ed, in which refpetl' it h~d not ill deferved to be called the Mother of thofe Churches. That the occafion of fo great an iocreafe was, that the City of RDnJC being of fo ancient Renown, and as it were by defiiny appointed Monarch of the World, in all Ages aboundi ng wiLh men of great courage and vertue, being well peopled, wealthy, ufefully featcd, and always under the Emperors fight, ea6Jy ~fforded this conveni~ ence. That at the firfl: the Chrifiians could no where meet together wtth lefs trouble, more plentifully be provided for, more fafely be concealed, or, when need was, die wi th more confiancy; all which made Pofterity fo much to admire and honour them. That the Church at firfl Houri!'hed rather in good Difcipline, and the approved holinefs ofthe Profeffors, than in abundance of riches, there being yet no loofenefs, no pride or ambition found in the manners of the Clergy, and Money, Servams, Lands, Jewels, and fuch like goods, altogether unknown to them ; in fine, all things fo rdl:rained, either by modefiy in ufing what they had, or contentednefs io wanting what they had not, as that in &IJie only, {eemed to be the Seat of Cbriftian Religion. That all this was with mort ftriD:nefs obferved in the times neareft to the Churches Infancy; but in procefs of time, by little and little began to be neglett:ed and corrupted, afier :~:;;~c~:;J,"~~~si~~vl~~g;;h~~ea~~:~mb;te~i:~:o~e:~c~:~ ::;~c:;3~~1~;~~~~~bt,hb:a~)~~ ture with the Sea, they gcow alfo unwholfome; and though m no one place, we can perceive where they are, any jet changed from their firft purity; yet may we eafily enough find a great d ifference, if we comi?are the extreams together. For that in the Church it fo fell out, that having brought :lit Nations to the Chriftian Faith, after they once began to think it for the Honour of the Empire, that the Priefis fho\lld no longer (as they had formerly accuftomed) · endure
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