Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	action_n	effect_n	necessary_a	1,860	5	7.1073	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93136	A letter from a clergy-man in the city, to his friend in the country containing his reasons for not reading the Declaration.	Halifax, George Savile, Marquis of, 1633-1695.; Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707, attributed name.	1688 (1688)	Wing S3294C; ESTC R202491	7,794	4

Test and Penal Laws which most of the Nobility and Gentry of the Nation have declared their judgment against It is to condemn all those great and worthy Patriots of their Country who forfeited the dearest thing in the world to them next a good Conscience viz. The favour of their Prince and a great many honourable and profitable Employments with it rather than consent to 〈…〉 of taking away the Test and Penal 〈◊〉 which they apprehend destructive to the Church of England and the Protestant Religion and he who can in conscience do all this I think need scruple nothing For let us consider further what the effects and consequences of our reading the Declaration are likely to be and I think they are matter of Conscience too when they are evident and apparent This will certainly render our Persons and Ministry infinitely contemptible which is against that Apostolick Canon Let no man dispise thee Titus 2.15 That is so to behave himself in his Ministerial Office as not to fall under contempt and therefore this obliges the Conscience not to make our selves 〈…〉 to render our Ministry our Counsels Exhortations Preaching Writing of no effect which is a thousand times worse than being silenced Our Sufferings will Preach more effectually to the People when we cannot Speak to them but he who for Fear or Cowardize or the Love of this World betrays his Church and Religion by undue compliances and will certainly be thought to do so may continue to Preach but to no purpose and when we have rendred our selves ridiculous and contemptible we shall then quickly fall and fall unpitied There is nothing will so effectually tend to the final ruine of the Church of England because our Reading the Declaration will discourage or provoke or misguide all the Friends the Church of England has can we blame any man for not preserving the Laws and the Religion of our Church and Nation when we our selves will venture nothing for it can we blame any man consenting to Repeal the Test and Penal Laws when we recommend it to them by reading the Declaration have we not reason to expect that the Nobility and Gentry who have already suffered in this Cause when they hear themselves condemned for it in all the Churches of England will think it time to mend such a fault and reco●●●●e themselves to their Prince and if our Church fall this way is there any reason to expect that it should ever rise again These Consequences are almost as evident as Demonstrations and let it be what it will in it self which I foresee will destroy the Church of England and the Protestant Religion and Interest I think I ought to make as much conscience of doing it as doing the most immoral action in nature To say that these mischievous consequences are not absolutely necessary and therefore do not affect the Conscience because we are not certain they will follow is a very mean Objection Moral Actions indeed have not such necessary consequences as Natural Causes have necessary effects because no Moral Causes act necessarily reading the Declaration will not as necessarily destroy the Church of England as fire burns Wood but if the consequence be plain and evident the most likely thing that can happen if it be unreasonable to expect any other if it be what is plainly intended and designed either I must never have any regard to Moral Consequences of my Actions or if ever they are to be considered they are in this case Why are the Nobility and Gentry so extreamly averse to the Repeal of the Test and Penal Laws why do they forfeit the King's Favour and their Honourable Stations rather than comply with it if you say that this tends to destroy the Church of England and the Protestant Religion I ask whether this be the necessary consequence of it whether the King cannot keep his promise to the Church of England if the Test and Penal Laws be Repealed we cannot say but this may be and 〈…〉 Nation does not think fit to try it and we comme●d those great men who deny it and if the same questions were put to us we think we ought in Conscience to deny them our selves and are there not as high probabilities that our Reading the Declaration will promote the Repeal of the Test and Penal Laws as that such a Repeal will ruine our Constitution and bring in Popery upon us Is it not as probable that such a Complyance in us will disoblige all the Nobility and Gentry who have hitherto been firm to us as that when the power of the Nation is put into Popish 〈…〉 of such Tests and Laws 〈◊〉 Priests and Jesuits may find some salve for the King's Conscience and perswade him to forget his promise to the Church of England and if the probable ●ll consequences of Repealing the Test and Penal Laws be a good reason not to comply with it I cannot see but that the as probable ill consequences of Reading the Declaration is as good a reason not to read it The most material Objection is that the Dissenters whom we ought not to provoke will expound our not Reading it to be the effect of a Persecuting Spirit Now I wonder men should lay any weight on this who will not allow the most probable consequences of our Actions to have any influence upon Conscience for if we must compare consequences to disoblige all the Nobility and Gentry by Reading it is likely to be much more fatal than to anger the Dissenters and it is more likely and there is much more reason for it that one should be offended than the other For the Dissenters who are Wise and considering are sensible of the snares themselves and though they desire Ease and Liberty they are not willing to have it with such apparent hazard of Church and State I am sure that though we were never so desirous that they might have their Liberty and when there is opportunity of shewing our inclinations without danger they may find that we are not such persecutors as we are represented yet we canot consent that they should have it this way which they will find the dearest Liberty that ever was granted This Sir is our Case in short the Difficulties are great on both sides and therefore now if ever we ought to besiege Heaven with our Prayers for Wisdom and Counsel and Courage that God would protect his Church and Reformed Christianity against all the devices of their Enemies Which is the daily and hearty Paryer of SIR Your Friend and Brother May 22. 1688. POSTSCRIPT I Have just now seen H. Care 's Paper called The Publick Occurrences which came out to day and cannot but set you right as to his News about the Reading of the Declaration on Sunday He tells you That several Divines of the Church of England in and abou● this City eminent for their Piety and Moderation did yesterday Read his Majesty's late Declaration in their Churches according to the Order in that behalf but some to the great surprize of their Parishioners were pleased to a●●●ine it You in the Country are from this Account to believe that it was Read here by the generallity of the Clergy and by the Eminent Men among them But I can and do assure you that this is one of the most impudent Lyes that ever was printed For as to this City which hath above a Hundred Parishes in it it was Read only in Four or Five Churches all the rest and best of the Clergy refusing it every-where I will spare their Names who read it but should I mention them it would make you who know this City a little heartily to deride H. C's Account of them And for the Surprize he talks of the contrary of it is so true that in Wood-street where it was Read by one Dr. M. the People generally went out of the Church This I tell you that you may be provided for the future against such an impudent Lyar who for Dread can vouch and put about the Nation the falsest of things I am Yours