Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
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A52597
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The king's authority in dispensing with ecclesiastical laws, asserted and vindicated by the late Reverend Philip Nye ...; Lawfulnes of the oath of supremacy and power of the King in ecclesiastical affairs
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Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.
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1687
(1687)
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Wing N1495; ESTC R17198
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36,268
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70
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it So that now his Majesty had no other Remedy but either 1. To retract from that pious and seasonable Resolution for Liberty of Conscience expressed in Letters to the Parliament then sitting from Breda a Resolution so acceptable to them as the whole House Nemine contradicente by Letters returned him Thanks and bless the Name of the Lord who put such reconciling thoughts into the Heart of the King and he himself likewise owns an especial Blessing from God upon his Affairs after he had expressed that Intention 2. Or break that Promise he solemnly made assuring this Liberty and had professed to the World upon this Occasion in his Speech May 8. 1661. that he valued himself much upon keeping his Word and whatsoever he promised to his Subjects and that no Man can be his Friend and wish him well who would perswade him to the consent of the breach of that solemn Promise 3. Or leave the Nation under greater Distractions and Sufferings about Religion than he found it in and upon twelve Years experience of other means used which tended rather to increase the Distemper These dishonourable Things I say his Majesty must have suffered and undergone or make use of that Power God and the Nation have intrusted him with though not with concurrence of Parliament so much and so often desired by him even so oft as He came to them as he tells them in his Speech of July 8. 1661. Yet nothing at any time was done by the Houses in respect to Liberty of Conscience being obliged in their Judgments to proceed in the other way CHAP. V. Of former Examples for Indulgence SECT 1. HIS Majesty's Gracious Declaration contains not a greater Indulgence tho it be extended to a greater number of Persons than what was granted by his Majesty's Predecessors which before we have mentioned to the French and Dutch Congregations 1. There was a Uniform Order in Church-Government and Divine Service to which not only his Majesty's Subjects but all the Inhabitants of his Majesty's Dominions were to conform and no Man to absent himself And not to hear or be present at any other Forms of Prayers and administration of Sacraments than what is in that Book prescribed under Penalties of Ecclesiastical Censures Fines to the King to the Poor of the Parish c. 2. The Dispensation and Exemption was by the sole Authority of the Soveraign and stands thus A Liberty to separate and absent themselves from the Parish Assemblies where they had their Habitations and to gather themselves into distinct particular Churches or Congregations to chuse and ordain their own Ministers also to establish such a Church-Government or Discipline and Form of Worship and Divine Service as they amongst themselves judged to be most conformable to the Scriptures established by his Majesty's Patent as a Corporation within it self and independent upon any Superior Jurisdiction Spiritual but his Majesty's And all Bishops Mayors Sheriffs c. to protect them and suffer them quietly to enjoy and exercise these Liberties with a Non Obstante c. 3. The Grounds and Considerations upon which such Liberty and Exemptions were granted were these 1. The Care of Religion that ought to be in all Christian Princes and to be shewed forth especially in this the Relief and Incouragement of those that are of the same Religion in their Sufferings for Conscience of their Duty towards God. 2. Persons of the same Religion with us and Sacraments administred by them according to the Word of God and practice of the Apostles ought to be tolerated in their way of worshipping God though they differ from us in Ceremonies and Discipline 3. The Kindness we found in other Protestant Countries when we were forced to leave our Native Soil for preserving our Consciences 4. There were also great Advantages in Matter of Trade for their skill and industry to the great benefit of this Nation and prejudice of their own L. Herbert's History of Hen. 8. The Premises considered we further say 1. His Majesty's Protestant Subjects here spoken for to whom this Gracious Indulgence is extended are of the same Religion with others of his Subjects and the present Establishment in respect to Matters of Faith and Worship in external Forms also they are not more differing from the Church of England than those Congregations to whom the same Indulgence hath been granted by his Majesty and Predecessors and is still enjoyed And when those Strangers had removed their Families and come among us had not this gracious Indulgence been granted and continued to them their Consciences would have engaged them to depart hence and seek Habitations where the like Liberty might be obtained And this also is our Condition many hundreds of his Majesty's Subjects with their Families have left their Native Country and dispose themselves into other parts of the World upon the same account 2. If it be so grateful a Charity and deserving so solemn an Acknowledgment the kind Entertainment our Subjects have found in other Parts when not suffered to live in their own Land upon the account of Conscience doubtless it is a greater Charity to be so indulgent to our own as not by Severity to enforce them for Conscience to become Strangers in other Countries 3. And for Matter of Trade Advantages have been great by encouraging those Strangers but the Disadvantages in the same kind far greater by the late Severity by which our own Subjects have been so greatly discouraged not only those Hands hang down that were most industrious in holding up the staple Trade of the Nation but by reason of Artificers removing into other Parts for their Consciences the Mysteries of our chiefest Manufactures have been made common and others therein become equal if not exceed us A great sense hereof his Majesty hath expressed in his Gracious Declaration Object If it be said These be Strangers Objects of Charity being driven out of their own Country understood not our Language they were Educated and accustomed to other Forms of Discipline and Worship Answ 1. It 's true the first Grant of this Liberty was to such but in process of Time these Churches were increased and spread throughout the Nation and this Grant being confirmed by Q. Eliz. K. James and K. Charles I. to their Children English born and born Subjects of this Realm they had the same Liberty granted them as formerly was mentioned insomuch as the Persons now enjoying this Liberty are his Majesty's Native Subjects Answ 2. The greatest number of his Majesty's Protestant Subjects that have benefit by his Gracious Indulgence since they have had understanding have been trained up in and been acquainted with no other Forms of Discipline and Worship than what was found amongst us at his Majesty's return the other formerly establish'd having been for many Years totally disused King James himself being educated under other Forms when he came into England scrupled many Things in our Liturgy and Rubricks Conference at Hampt Court. Finally It is now more than a Century of Years wherein these Churches have enjoyed this Indulgence there hath been much peace and quiet among themselves following their Callings without disturbance neighbourly and friendly Converse with those that are of different Perswasions in Matters of Religion No Disputings or Reasonings about it no Judging or Despising experience hereof we have beyond denial in London Norwich Canterbury c. where diversity of practices in the Forms of Discipline and Worship are constantly held forth in the view of all Men for so many Years And why should not we expect the like peaceable and inoffensive Converse mutually between those that now enjoy the like Liberty from this Gracious Declaration and others of our Brethren whose practice is otherwise The Lord who hath put this into the Heart of the King may put it also into the Hearts of our Senators to be like-minded with him And as his Majesty hath condescended to them in their way for the space of these twelve Years as he tells them so it is to be desired that they if it may stand with their great Prudence would concur with him but half so long in the way himself hath chosen for the Peace and Union of his Subjects in Matters of Religious Worship or at least until there be the like evident Experiments of the Ineffectualness of it FINIS The same Author hath published a Book intituled The Lawfulness of the Oath of Supremacy and the Power of the King in Ecclesiastical Affairs c. With a Vindication of Dissenters proving That their particular Congregations are not inconsistent with the King's Supremacy With some account of the Nature Constitution and Power of the Ecclesiastical Courts Sold by Jo. Robinson and Sam. Crouch