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authority_n act_n parliament_n time_n 3,589 5 4.0808 3 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A25538 An Account of the new sheriffs, holding their office made publick, upon reason of conscience, respecting themselves and others, in regard to the act for corporations. 1680 (1680) Wing A333; ESTC R1609 7,738 4

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Superior and much more if through him it must be done if that Other Reclaimes the thing as soon as he hears of it the Authority of God by the equity of this Law given by Moses does as we suppose dissolve the Obligation though else it could not be dissolved by the Authority of a Superior onely rescinded So does he apprehend the very same Reason to be here in regard to this League or Covenant For the subject being quoad hoc not sui juris but under the power of the Prince and much more under the most supreme and absolute Authority of Parliament and the late King declaring still against this Oath at the very time and a Parliament since the return of this King as soon as it could be done having passed an Act on purpose for disannulling the same he sees no difference between the Cases but that the obligation of this League as well as of those Vows must give place to such Authority over-ruling it And more especially we must add because the Alteration of Government the sole matter in concern does belong to the cognizance of the Higher Powers we mean a Parliament and is not the business of any private person unless in order to procuring their Consent and Establishment If this reasoning now which does satisfie him be unsatisfactory to another person let us but warn such a man that he does nothing after his Example unless he be satisfi'd with his or our Reasons and we care not If our Arguments satisfie any man and he follows these Sheriffs we edifie him if they do not and he follows his own judgment we do him no hurt It is a man 's own Conscience is the Discerner to him of his Duty and he is not to regard another Mans any farther than to avoid Active Scandal We do not mean it as if every man therefore should lean onely to his own understanding but rather take advice and that which is the most serious and proper he can get For our parts we have no more to offer or to say but that we are particularly beholding for this which is said to a late Book intituled A Peaceable Resolution of Conscience touching our present Impositions In which Book the Readers that please will find the Rule by which we are to walk under such Injunctions of our Superiors as these to be such or so set out as that according to the persuasion of a man's mind about the same both he that Conforms to them and he that Cannot may see reason to retain a fair opinion of one another and to hope that neither of them depart from a good Conscience in what they do This is the Moderation we desire our selves and these Sheriffs to follow In our Loyalty to our Sovereign In our Love to our Countrey and In our Religion to God The Reasons for Printing this Paper are these 1. To take the Oath and subscribe the Declaration in the literal strict Construction appears in our judgment unlawful and consequently unless by some means or other the sense be made publick in which a man does take them and that sense also be justified or at least be justifiable he must forbear 2. The Declaration is against the Consciences of the Nonconformists in general insomuch as some men who took the Oath cannot subscribe the Declaration and for these Sheriffs therefore to do it now and not declare their Reasons of Satisfaction were to sin against the Brethren if they own them or to disclaim them 3. By doing this They shall give occasion to others to follow their example and if they present them not their Grounds or Reasons Those that follow shall do it without the same Reasons and through their knowledge shall such perish But when ye sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak Consciences ye sin against Christ. 4. The Episcopal Party are generally apt to think the Nonconformists to be Hypocrites and Knaves and say These men refuse these Injunctions out of humor or for thier profit but they will swallow them as well as we for Honour or for Advantage witness this Action of these Sheriffs If these two considerate Men should not therefore give us some rational Account of what they do or some others for them they must not only wrong themselves but the whole generation of such Men and cause the Name of God in regard to them to be blasphemed 5. As Providence hath called these Persons to the Office so hath it opened the door for them to hold the same upon the satisfaction which is couched in this Paper and if it be of great Concern at this time that such Men do hold Sheriffs who are willing to deny their own Advantage not seek it for the sake of the Publick It is yet of greater concern that by the publishing their satisfaction with the grounds of it Many in distress about the Oxford Act may be relieved and a way opened for Many of the like substantial Citizens of know Piety Loyalty and Ability to be brought into Corporations throughout the Nation to the great service of the King and Kingdom FINIS LONDON Printed by Thomas Snowden 1680.