Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A45861
|
Indulgence not to be refused comprehension humbly desired : the Churche's peace earnestly endeavoured / by Philatheseirenes [sic].
|
Philaletheseirenes.
|
1672
(1672)
|
Wing I154; ESTC R28943
|
15,879
|
28
|
possible they might have been prevented and crushed in the beginning but since they have grown now so far other means must be used and not the same Methods followed with springing and overgrown Diseases Besides many of those that declared against such a Toleration if not all of them are dead and gone and there are others now who are postrati to those times who now suffer who were not capable of saying or doing any thing about publick mattters To all which I adde that our Episcopal Brethren if it should ever be possible that they should live under the same discouragement and disadvantage now from His Majesty or any of His Successors or the Law which the Presbyterians now do lie under and had a grant of their Liberty offered them in common with others if they would please to let us know what they would then do notwithstanding all their Declarations and Reasons against Toleration Indulgence and Comprehension at this time it is verily thought that the Presbyterians are 〈◊〉 so fully of their mind and principles therein that they would do accordingly CHAP IV. THe third Reason arises from the Nature of their Ordination and the necessity that lies upon such as are Ordained to preach the Gospel together with the solemn promise made by every Minister to preach according to his Duty notwithstanding all difficulties whatsoever Which Argument to my knowledge hath so far prevailed with many pious and peaceable men that they have thought it their duty to preach as they had opportunity notwithstanding all the Severities that have been enacted and exercised to the contrary Though it may be others out of the great reverence and respect they had to Laws and publick Authority and the great affection they bore to the Church it self and her peace and unity thought it more meet and reasonable for Orders sake to submit to their Censure and to suspend the exercise of their Ministry till it should please God to prepare their way to their work without misprisions or offences judging withal that the Wo before mentioned belongs to them that either through slothfulness neglect and slight their Duty when they have opportunity to preach or study or through treachery and cowardize run away from it for fear of Jews Heathens or Hereticks and doth not concern the Censures that are made in a Christian Church and State upon any of her Officers which for order and peace sake ought to be submitted to though they should be inflicted and denounced cum errante clave and this made many Ministers especially if not only of the Presbyterians to hold off in silence all this time which is some evidence of the Affection and Reverence which they bear to the Church of England But being now the censure and penalty is taken off and the way to their Duty opened and in a good measure cleared and the Kings Majesty who is in all Causes Ecclesiastical and Civil Supream Governour not only suspending the penal Statutes but also willing to approve and allow persons to preach the Gospel and places to preach in Considering their Ordination and Separation to the Work of the Ministry and the Obligation that lies upon them to their Duty from Gods precept promise and threatning I shall leave to consideration whether the Presbyterians that accept of such Licences go with or against their Consciences 4. Considering the Exigence and Necessity of the Church her affairs and straights require all the help and assistance that can be got or made for refuting Errors propagating of Truth and edifying all good men in the Faith and Knowledge of the Gospel And if the Kings Majesty at Sea or Land have occasion for Commanders or Souldiers in a present necessity he will not refuse even such as are disbanded nor ought they to cast off or deny their Duty when called to it for the Honour and Safety of their King and Countrey And therefore the Presbyterians make account in such a case as this is and in such naughty times and dayes as we live in when all kind of Vice Errors and Heresies do abound that they ought not to neglect their Duty but preach the Gospel licet non sit omnino secundum formam Statuti In a time of publick calamity all men can lay on their hands and employ their heads and ought so to do to prevent a common danger especially when they are encouraged to it and indulged in it by him that next to God Almighty hath the highest authority here on earth And for any one in such a case to say that men go against their principles if they proceed I wish such private and ill-laid principles were considered of if there be any such and how far they are obliging that seem to be so repugnant to and destructive of a common and publick good CHAP. V. NOw though these and many more Arguments of this Nature are and may be brought for the Presbyterians preaching of the Gospel though the Door be but half open considering also many of their pressing necessities and the straights which they and their Families are brought into by their long enforced silence Yet I must confess that notwithstanding all this great care and caution wisdom and prudence ought to be used in the use and improvement of this Liberty which His Majesty hath been pleased gratiously to grant As that those that are of the same Church may not seem by any means to fall from it by an unjustifiable separation or bear their people in hand that they begin and intend to proceed upon a new Church-State or that they were Ministers that had received another Ordination in specie than the Ministers of the Church of England now have and also for the prevention of mistakes conceits misrepresentations and new offences if they that are Licensed or frequent Licensed Meetings would have a reverence for and attend upon Gods publick Worship in Churches and Chappels at the usual times or as often as conveniently they may it would be a full answer to many unprofitable and ill-natured Scriblings a great evidence of the Presbyterians integrity of the tenderness of their Consciences and the constancy and consistency of their principles and of the great care which they have and all good men ought to have of the Honour and tranquility both of Church and State Or if considering the bitter and sore divisions that are amongst Fathers and Sons Brethren and Fellow-Labourers of the same Church and Ministry which tend very much to the endammaging if not the endangering thereof if the Reverend Bishops and others would but please to use what interest themselves or friends have or can make in this next approaching Session of Parliament that such Ministers as are loyal and sober pious and peaceable may come to their work again by some Act of Comprehension which hath been often moved and as often openly obstructed and secretly undermined that so there may be mutual condescentions on both sides in order to Charity and Unity I doubt not yet but