Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	church_n	england_n	entitle_v	1,993	5	10.1542	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58923	A seasonable discourse against comprehension. Occasioned by a late pamphlet intituled The peaceable design, being a modest account of the non-conformists meetings, with some of their reasons for non-conformity: and the way of accomodation in the matter of religion. Humbly proposed to publick consideration by some ministers of London, against the sitting of Parliament, in the year, 1675.	Hickes, George, 1642-1715. Letter sent from beyond the seas to one of the chief ministers of the Non-conforming party. aut	1676 (1676)	Wing S2227; ESTC R214757	10,075	36

A SEASONABLE DISCOURSE AGAINST COMPREHENSION Occasioned by a late PAMPHLET Intituled The Peaceable Design Being a Modest Account of the Non-Conformists Meetings with some of their Reasons for Non-conformity And the way of Accommodation in the Matter of Religion Humbly proposed to Publick Consideration by some Ministers of London against the Sitting of Parliament in the Year 1675. Titus 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the Faith LONDON Printed in the Year 1676. A Discourse against Comprehension 'T IS an amazing Reflection but that nothing seems strange in these last and worst of Days that Persons otherwise of undoubted Loyalty should so far be a Contradiction to themselves and their former Actions as out of a vain compliance with some People and thereby to obtain the Title of Moderate Men to be encouragers of those Designs which if duely prosecuted according to some Mens intentions are inevitably destructive both to Church and State That there should be Ambitious Covetous Discontented Persons who having flourished under the late Rebellion do endeavour to repeat it is no wonder But that any of those Loyal Sufferers who have sufficiently smarted under the late Troubles that those should so tamely contribute to their own and the Churche's ruine is not so easily understood That the N. C. have formerly found Friends and Favourites amongst some Privy-Counsellors and others of the Nobility Pag. 2. is easily granted And therefore the Author of Good-Will amongst Protestants who so boastingly urgeth this Topick might if he pleas'd have kept his Quotations in his Common-Place-Book The generous disposition of those noble Spirits naturally Compassionate towards all suffering Parties and the great comparative Meekness and Innocency that appear'd in those first Dissenters are a ready Apology for the Indulgence that was then shewed them But now since by their Fruits we do know them Since their Principles are explain'd into such dismal Practices of which it were a happy thing if the sad experience of these Kingdoms would suffer us to be ignorant the Loyal Nobility and Gentry much less the Clergy have little cause to be fond of these People who are still disturbing Authority with their impertinent I pray God they do not prove destructive Clamours That this may not be rejected as the melancholy reflexion of a discontented Brain I shall consider the intended Relaxation with all imaginable strictness The Matter of Fact is this The Non Conformists have mov'd that two Declarations in the Act of Uniformity may be dispensed with They are these I A. B. do here declare my unfeigned Assent and Consent to all and every thing contained and prescribed in and by the Book Intituled The Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England together with the Psalter or Psalmes of David pointed as they are to be Sung or Said in Churches and the form or manner of Making Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons I A. B. do declare that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and that I do abhor that Traiterous Position of taking Arms by his Authority against his Person or against those that are Commissionated by him and that I will Conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now by Law established And I do declare that I do hold there lies no Obligation upon me or any other Person from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant to endeavour any Change or Alteration of Government either in Church or State and that the same was in it self an unlawful Oath and impoposed upon the Subjects of this Realm against the known Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom What Private designs are hereby promoting we must leave to Almighty God and the Event of things But as to the Publick there can be no warrantable Reason for such Dispensation but either the unlawfulness or inexpediency of these Declarations The unlawfulness of them will never be pretended by any true Son of the Church of England For this were in short to give up the whole Cause and to lay the charge of Schism at our own Doors Because that Church which requires any thing unlawful as a condition of her Communion is doubtless Schismatical But since those Laws and Constitutions which were at first Legally establish'd may by the alteration of Circumstances be very burdensome to the Subject and as such ought to be Repealed let us consider the justness of their pretences herein And if upon inquiry it do appear that the continuance of these Declarations is as necessary for the preservation both of Church and State as their first enforcement I do then humbly petition Authority to consider the excellent words of this present * Votes of the House of Commons Feb. 5. 1662. against Indulgence Parliament It will no way become the Gravity or Wisdom of a Parliament to pass a Law at one Session for Uniformity and at the next Session the Reasons of Uniformity continuing still the same to pass another Law to frustrate or weaken the Execution of it It will expose your Majesly to the restless importunity of every Sect or Opinion and of every single Person also who shall presume to dissent from the Church of England As to these Declarations the Assent and Consent in the former and the Renunciation of the Covenant in the later are thus rationally grounded The end and design of Government is Salus Publica it is to take care Ne quid detrimenti capiat communitas Or in the Apostles phrase That we may live a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesly For the obtaining of which happy end his Sacred Majesly who is Cuslos utriusque tabulae out of a due care of his People by the advice of his Council hath Enacted That no Man be admitted into any Office Sacred or Secular who when his Place requires it ref●seth by Oaths Subscriptions or Declarations to give assurance to the Publick that he is Orthodox and Peaceable Now since different Opinions and Practices in matters of Religion especially when cherished and indulg'd do naturally improve into contentious Disputes and those Disputes if not restrain'd break out into Civil Wars For * Mr. Newcomes Serm. before Parl. Sept. 12.1644 pag. 36. Men will at last take up Swords and Spears instead of Pens and defend by Arms what they cannot do by Arguments Since things are thus 'T is at least Prudence if not Duty in the Supreme Power to remove the occasion of this Ruine by enjoyning the Publick practice of these Duties in one Uniform way that all his Subjects may speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions amongst them persectly joyn'd together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment And therefore the Act for Uniformity most prudently enjoyneth That no Man be permitted the publick Exercise of his Ministry till in this