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duty_n act_n grant_v majesty_n 1,393 5 7.1213 4 true
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A51680 A Mystery of godlinesse and no cabala, or, A sincere account of the non-conformists conversation ... occasioned by a bitter and malitions [sic] paper called the Cabala. Birkenhead, John, Sir, 1616-1679. 1663 (1663) Wing M3184; ESTC R7629 26,519 43

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but the skirts and subburbs of Religion wherein as his late Majesty of renowned Memory observed as an Angel of God a charitable counivance and Christian toleration of sin dissipates their strength whom rougher opposition fortifieth and puts the despised and oppressed party into such combinations as may most enable them yet a full revenge on those they count their persecutors who are commonly assisted with that vulgar commiseration which attends all that are said to suffer under the notion of Religion Indeed we only desire what that famous Prince wished viz. That solid piety and those fundamental truths which mend both hearts and lives of men be kept up and encouraged with equal justice and impartial favour and that the outward circumstances and formalities of Religion devour not all or the best encouragement of learning industry and piety but that with an equall eye and impartial hand favours and rewards he distrited among all men as they are found for their real goodnesse both in ability and fidelity worthy and capable of them This saith that excellent Prince will be sure to gain the hearts of the most and the best too who though they be not good themselves yet are glad to see the severer wayes of virtue at any time sweetned by temporal rewards And though it be suggested that we are not to be trusted about his Majesty although we can make it appear that since his Majesty was restored we have passed three years with so much innocence and so little compliance with any Interest or Faction that not one publick action we did since but is capable of a fair and equitable plea yet since an Act of Indempnity and Religion is passed we think it our duty so for to comply with his Majesties Intention in granting that Act as not to mention any thing how defensible soever which he hath commanded should be utterly forgotten but to give our present sence of things we can sincerely professe that we have not only a Loyal but a most affectionate esteem for his Majesties Person and Government for since besides the general obligation of Subjects we are bound by our Religion to prize gratitude above all things we could not be just should we not most earnestly desire the happinesse of that Prince unto whose single endeavours we owe all our Liberty for we all acknowledge that his Majesties personal and passionate interposings did confirm our Indempnity and his most pious and unequalled Declarations have satisfactorily evidenced that he is not unwilling to indulge the utmost extent of sober and Christian Liberty which as we have elsewhere professed are expressions of so much goodness in the midst of so great power and after somany provocations that he hath not the heart of a man much lesse of a Christian that hath not a due sence of them we are sure they have so throughly possessed us that if in any publick action of ours there be any Instance that can be wrested to the disparagement of his Majesties Royal Authority and Government we intreat the world to take notice that we do hereby utterly disown it as being directly contrary to our professed Principles which lead us to no one point of outward practice more strictly and powerfully then an exact and punctual obedience to his Majesties Commands and a chearful submission to his Authority And once for all now it hath pleased his Majesty to enjoyn an outward conformity to which we cannot in all things subscribe we are resolved the Lord assisting us to submit with chearfulnesse and to suffer with silence for as there is an active disobedience which is to resist so there is a passive disobedience that is to repine neither of which can we by any means approve of since whatever we cannot conscienciously do we think our selves obliged to suffer for with as much joy and with as little resistance as if any other act of obedience were called for from us We may perhaps be too partial to our selves but certainly in general we may pronounce that whoever is of this temper whatever his judgement be as touching things indifferent in their own nature yet he cannot be supposed incompatible with wayes of publick safety And over and above all we are not capable of being dangerous to this Government but by our Representatives in Parliament who are now men of such unspotted integrity towards his Majesties Person and Government that it is a wonder if malice it self can find the least suspition of danger 28. It is true as some say that by our diligence good husbandry and the blessing of God upon our endeavours we have got among us a considerable part of the treasure of this Land for we are a people that improve our time and follow our businesse as whose strict profession forbids us those excesses which swallow up other mens time and estates Hounds Hawks Games Wine Women Playes and other vanities have neither our thoughts nor our purses which we reserve for higher advantage which we constantly watch and as constantly meet with so great an advantage hath the sober against the intemperate yet out of what we have are we ready upon all occasions to assist his Majesty and support his Government yea if as some would have it should please his Majesty to impose upon us a Levy for our former miscarriages his Indulgence to us and for the peace and tranquillity we enjoy under him it should be parted with as chearfully as ever we parted with money in the heat of the late trouble neither would we so anxiously look upon what is gone of our estate as we would thankfully take notice of what remains It is true we have got estates some of us in the late troubles and now we have places about the King and indeed we know not how to expiate former transgression against his late Majesty but by endeavouring to be as capable as we can to serve his Son Among our many failings we hoped this would have been none that we used all means to get into his Majesties service no place escaping us that could be had for love or money as we have done amisse not out of malice but misinformation or misapprehension of things so we hope none shall be more loyal and faithful then we who sensible of our errours and our injuries do feel in our own souls most vehement motives to repentance and earnest desires to make some repairations for former defects For his Majesties and his Fathers faithful Souldiers and Subjects who out of conscience sunk in the same ruine with their Liege Lord and Soveraign we declare upon all occasions when we are called to it that we think it necessary for publick settlement that they should be provided for as may be just and expedient such valour and gallantry we confesse they have shewed that we heartily wish we may never want such men to serve our Soveraign to maintain his Laws and Kingdomes in such a peace as wherein they may enjoy their share and proportion as