Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	church_n	government_n	reform_a	2,718	5	10.4681	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44304	The seasonable case of submission to the church-government as now re-established by law, briefly stated and determined by a lover of the peace of this church and kingdom.	Honyman, Andrew, 1619-1676.	1662 (1662)	Wing H2602; ESTC R4312	34,512	47

another all pretending the Covenant there being no distinct specifical termes in the Covenant whereupon some could implead others as guilty of breach and did not the Sectarian Armie when they invaded Scotland pretend the Covenant and keeping of it and thereupon there were high appeals made to heaven Will not all or most of them own the letter of the Covenant which only seems clear against Popery and Prelacy and for a violent extirpation of this Then there was no security in that Covenant for preserving Presbytery in Scotland the Presbytery not being once named only the matter is wrapped up in a general We shall preserve the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common enemies reformed Religion and against common enemies No Independent or Separatist but might say he would preserve the Reformed Religion c. in Scotland albeit he thought not Presbytery to be any part of Reformed Religion or Government and although he minded to do against it himself only if he would preserve it it should be to hold off what he apprehended worser he would preserve it against the common enemies Neither is there security in that Covenant for reforming England according to the pattern as was desired by us Was there not more policy then piety in this to endeavour the soldering and holding fast of so many several parties united against Episcopacy yet sorting amongst themselves like the iron and clay toe● of Nebuchadnezar's image and ready to break one upon another all under pretence of the Covenant as it clearly came to passe and is still like to be such is the vanity of humane policies unsound wayes of uniting tending to the begetting in end of greater distractions And the Covenant being of purpose framed in general terms for the most part that several parties might be fast united against Prelacy owned by the King if it should be still owned would prove no better then a perpetual seminary of diverse Parties all pleading their keeping of their Covenant and yet no party agreeing one with another in the specifical sense thereof and some of the wayes of these several parties might be found much worse in the judgment of right discerners then Prelacy is or may be thought to be by some It would be seriously pondred whether this way of a studied indistinctness generality and homonymie in the terms of the Covenant for strengthning a party against some one thing was acceptable to God And whether the blood of our Countrey-men should have been cast away in such uncertain terms It will be said The Covenant is clear enough against Episcopacy let us keep it in the clear and true sense of it whatever doubtfulness be otherwayes But to say nothing of this that we have shewed above how unclear it is against the Episcopacy established now in Scotland however clear it be as intended against the English frame were it not better to lay aside when now it is disclaimed by King and Parliament and all persons of trust in the Land an humane form which in respect of the Composure of it is apt to be hath been and is like to be a seminary of varieties of parties all pleading it and worse evils then Prelacy is imagin'd to be then still to own it when as authentick exponers of the sense of it who might reprove false pretenders to the keeping of it cannot be had neither while they were in being could agree amongst themselves anent the sense of it as may be seen in the Parliament of Englands ba●ling the Scotish Commissioners Declaration anno 1647. and other Papers God hath given the children of men work enough to be exercised in his holy Word which certainly in his intendment hath but one true sense howbeit mans blindness often perceiveth it not It is a needless labour to be taken up with humane forms purposely contrived in general terms for taking in parties of known contrary sense and judgment which will if own'd prove apples of contention in the present and succeeding Generations But 3. Let sober and godly men consider if it was dutifully done to swear the preservation of the Kings person and Authority conditionally and with a limitation In the preservation and defence of the true Religion Mr. Crofton indeed denyeth that in that third Article of the Covenant there is any limitation of our loyalty in defending the King or that this is the sense that we are only bound to defend Him while He defends Religion he asserts that clause to be only a predication of their present capacity who engage to defend the King's Person to this sense we being in defence of Religion c. shall defend the King's Person But to say nothing how strain'd-like this looketh the words in the sense of judicious men looking as a clear limitation of our duty to Him as if otherwise we owed Him no duty of that sort Belike the General Ass of the Church of Scotland should understand the sense of the Covenant somewhat better then Mr. Crofton to say nothing of their stating their opposition to Authority of Parliament in the matter of the Engagment 1648. upon this as the main hinge ● our conditional duty to the King They in their Declaration 1649. declare that the King was not to be admitted to the exercise of His royal Power before satisfaction as to the matter of Religion they meant mainly that particular mode of Church-government by Presbytery for that was it that went under the name of Religion the substance of the protestant Religion being never under question between the King and them they plead for a ground the Covenant where their duty in defending the King's Person and Authority is said to be subordinate to Religion and therefore it is concluded that without manifest breach of Covenant they cannot admit Him to reign till in that they be satisfied It is clear they look'd on it as a limitation of their duty and that His owning of Presbytery c. was conditio sinè quà non of His reigning amongst them and of their paying duty to Him and so indeed the transactions in the Treaties at Breda and the Hague and what followed thereupon expounded their mind Now was this right that where our Alleagiance binds us to duty in a greater latitude this should be held out to people as the only standard of their loyalty and duty to the King Was it sound Doctrine to insinuat to the sense of intelligent men that we were not otherwise bound to defend Him Was it well by such a clause to giv● occasion to wicked men as the Sectaries take it in their Declaration before the late King's death to think they were no further obliged to Him then He should defend that which they accounted Religion yea that they were obliged by Covenant to destroy Hi● Person they finding as they say in that Declaration that His Safety and Religions are inconsistent And was it the duty of th●se who were Commissioners from this

at London then to profess in their Paper they were not in●●●s●●d to 〈…〉 in their guilt when they knew th● 〈◊〉 would take their meaning to ●e of the King Doth difference in Religion or in these inferior and lower points about Church-government loose a people from their duty in defending His Person and obeying His Authority How may forreign Princes who have Protestants in their Dominions take it if that might pass for an approved opinion amongst their protestant Subjects that their loyalty is to be limited to His beeing of their Religion and if He be not they may either cease to defend Him or inv●d● Him It may be remembred that those who owned the western Remonstrance did justifie their seditious Engagments and renting proceedings which few of them have dis●laim'd to this day upon then sensing the obligation of the Covenant as is said and that in conformity to the constant tenor of the published Declarations and Testimonies of Church judicatories since the taking of the Covenant and if s● sure it concerneth the Ministers of this Church to vindicate the Doctrine it hereof in the point of that respect and obedience to the Civil Magistrate which the Confessions of all Protestant Churches do own which hath been stain'd by these corrupt principles and positions and the undutifull practices slowing from the same in these years past But to say no more it would be in the fear of God considered if in the solemn Covenant the engagers therein have bound themselves to 〈◊〉 act unlawfull that may render the Covenant in some part of the matter of it sinfull the act which in the second Article now under question they have engaged themselves in is the voting out of Prelacy or the Offices c. There was no such Offices in Scotland at that time so they needed not to swear extirpation of what was not there In England their Church-government being warranted by the Laws of the King and Land it may be question'd if the swearing the extirpation or endeavouring to extirpate the same without and against the consent of the Soveraign Law giver of the land was a lawfull Act. The question is not now whether Episcopacy be lawfull or not But supposing Episcopacy to be unlawfull in it self albeit in that case the Law-givers were indeed bound to remove it and to annull Laws favouring it Yet it were unlawfull to people to bandy for forcing or frighting the Law givers to an alteration of these Laws and to tye themselves to a mutual defence with lives and fortunes for overturning what the Law alloweth agree the Soveraign or not which is the clear meaning of the Covenant Artic. 2 3 5. If once that Principle prevail that subjects may when they apprehend Laws unlawfull use forcible endeavours to obtain alteration thereof What security can there be for the best Printes in maintaining the best Laws or what peace for people When an evil spirit rusheth upon people or some Sheba bloweth the trumper they will be ready to think it is their place and calling being souldiers and men at armes however called thereto to offer violence to Magistrates and Laws even the best It is in vain some defenders of the Covenant say forcible endeavours are not meant Compare second Article and third that make mention of lives and estates and relates to the former and the fifth Article It is clearly enough seen violent endeavours are meant where lesse will not do And when the cause of the Covenant was managed in the field were not people upon account of that Article hunted out either to kill or die and terrified with the charge of Covenant-breaking if they went not Did not people conceive themselves or were taught so that it was their place and calling to take armes without and against the consent of the Soveraign Law-giver And in that calling they were to endeavour forcibly consent the King or not to carry that abolition of Prelacy Let it be considered whether engageing to such endeavours were lawfull quoad nos or whether it can be a lawfull bond that tyes to such violent endeavours against the supreme Magistrate and Laws be what they will be And let it be seriously pondred that if they who hold themselves obliged in no way to yield unto acknowledge obey nor act under the Government which the King and Law have set over them and by thus withdrawing their subjection encourage and lead others to do the like after their example thereby designing to weaken the Government which in the fairest construction cannot be judged to live peaceably If I say these will speak and act consequentially to former principles and practices not yet by them disclaimed they must also hold themselves by the same Covenant oblig'd to resist and fight against the Laws fencing Episcopacy if occasion were offered and not only to vent their animosities and discontents in their prayers and discourses in private but also to take all occasions to revile and curse that Government and their Superiours commissionated by the King in Prayers Sermons and discourses in publick and in effect to do what in them lyeth to bring it and them under the scandal and odium of the people and make them the Butt of their malice and revenge let wise men judge how far this is from the tenor of our lawfull Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy yea and Christianity and what an inlet this will give to disturb the peace and rekindle that fire which had almost consumed us to ashes To close 1. If Episcopacy be of Apostolick Institution as many learned godly men judge and it is hard to say many swearers of the Covenant had ground of clear perswasion to the contrary it would not be so banded against without grievous sin and scandal 2. If Episcopacy be of indifferent nature and only by humane constitution it would be considered what Protestants write against Papists That vows of perpetual abstinence in all cases from things in their nature indifferent are utterly unlawfull and let it be thought whether it be lawfull for any subjects to bind up themselves by Oath never to be subject to the Magistrates laws in things God hath put under the determination of his power 3. Let Episcopacy be unlawfull which is not proven by any yet it shall be unlawfull for-subjects to attempt the abrogation of the Laws favouring it by any force to be us'd on the Lawgiver which is indeed the intent of the Covenant and the proceedings thereupon were answerable The Lord give us humble and peaceable spirits to see at last and lay to heart the sin and folly of those Bonds and Combinations against the Kings Ecclesiastical Government and his will expressed in the Laws of the land which are inconsistent with that duty and loyalty which Church-men above other subjects should pay to that Supremacy in all causes and over all persons declared by the law to be an inherent right to the Crown It is high time for us in this day of our tranquillity and calm which God hath wrought to consider what belongs to our peace and to discern the way of our duty from which we have been too long transported by the tempestuous Agitations and diverse winds of Doctrines Engagements and professions in the years past Reason and Scripture Divine and Natural law seem to point out as with a Sun-beam the way we should hold namely that for publick security order and peace Ministers and people do acquiesce in the present establishment and obey every Ordinance of man whether the King as Supream or those who are commissionated by Him and that not only for wrath but conscience sake Let it be far from Ministers of the Gospel of peace to head and lead the people into divisions and offences and by their carriage and way to dispose them into disaffection and discontent with the King and his Laws as if in the account of some whether of corrupt and weak minds he were a Tyrant not a Father to the Church who maketh such Laws which His conscientious subjects cannot obey for fear of sin against God if this way of disobedience be persisted in it is easie to see what evils will follow since it must be expected that the King and Parliament will in honour and justice maintain the laws And how the whole Nation may be exposed to the reproach of a troublesome disquiet factious people delighting still in sedition and turbulency It becomes us rather to cut off occasions of stumbling in the way of Gods people and to be patterns of love to and zeal for the Honour and tranquillity of our King and Countrey of this Church and State and to shew so much tenderness for the interest of Religion Order and Unity as to put forth our selves to the utmost in our stations to promote all these which will prove the most effectual way of crushing that spirit of Athelsm and profaneness so much complained of by those who flee from the only remedy thereof Ministers are not to imploy themselves so much in considering how to maintain and uphold the interest of a party or cause they have espoused as how far they may go what they may without sin do in the practice of what the law injoyneth The God of peace and truth direct and stablish us in the way of peace and truth Amen FINIS ERRATA Pag. 15. Line 6. for others read Oaths Pag. 18. Line 2. for sect read sort