Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	abate_v	church_n	divine_n	21	3	9.5508	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61586	Proposals tender'd to the consideration of both Houses of Parliament for uniting the Protestant interest for the present, and preventing divisions for the future together with the declaration of K. Charles II, concerning ecclesiastical affairs, and some proposals of terms of union between the Church of England and dissenters / long since published by the Reverend Dean of S. Pauls.	Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699.; Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685.; England and Wales. Sovereign (1660-1685 : Charles II). Declaration to all his loving subjects of his kingdom of England and dominion of Wales concerning ecclesiastical affairs.	1689 (1689)	Wing S5621; ESTC R8098	25,861	37

PROPOSALS Tender'd to the Consideration of Both HOUSES of PARLIAMENT For Uniting the Protestant Interest for the Present And preventing Divisions for the Future Together with the DECLARATION OF K. CHARLES II. Concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs And some Proposals of TERMS of UNION BETWEEN THE Church of England AND DISSENTERS Long since published By the Reverend Dean of S. Pauls LONDON Printed for Henry Clark and sold by the Book-sellers of London and Westminster M DC LXXX IX Humble and Modest PROPOSALS For Uniting the Protestant Interest I Doubt not but every Pious and Sober Protestant of this Nation cannot but be heartily troubled to observe those passionate Differences and unchristian Dissentions which daily increase among Brethren who are united in one and the same Doctrin of their Religion and reformed from the Errors and Superstitions of the Church of Rome Upon the due Consideration of which every one who wisheth Peace and Prosperity to the Kingdom he lives in ought to consider what should be the Occasion of those unhappy and ruinous Divisions we have so long suffered under and to offer probable means for composing them As to their first Rise I doubt not but they ow their Original to the different manner of the Reformation and the establishing of the Orders which each Church did think fit and convenient for it self as the Reverend and Pious Mr. Hooker acquaints us which were so peremptorily established under that high commanding Form which rendered them to the People as things everlastingly required by the Law of that Lord of Lords against whose Statutes there is no Exception to be taken by which means it came to pass that one Church could not but accuse and condemn another of Disobedience to the Will of Christ in those things where manifest Difference was between them Whereas the self-same Orders allowed but yet established in more wary and suspense manner as being to stand in Force till God should give the Opportunity of some General Conference what might be best for them afterwards to do This I say had both prevented all occasion of just dislike which others might take and reserved a greater Liberty unto the Authors themselves of entring into farther Consultation afterwards which though never so necessary they could easily now admit without some fear of Derogation from their Credit And therefore that which once they had done they became for ever after resolute to maintain Now if we consider the shortness of that time wherein our first Reformation continued under Edward the Sixth and the Persecution in Queen Mary's reign which forced many Pious and Learned Clergymen of the Church of England to flee into Foreign Countries as Zurick Embden Basil Strasburg Frankford Geneva c. for the Preservation of their Religion and Lives where they frequently conversed with those Eminent Divines who were the great Reformers there 't is no Wonder that some of them should return better pleased with their Discipline than their own especially considering that several of them had intimate Acquaintance and Conversation with one of the Reformers whom the Reverend Mr. Hooker thought incomparably the wisest Man Man that ever the French Church did enjoy since the Hour it enjoyed him In Queen Elizabeth's King Iames and K. Charles the First 's Reigns 't is well known how our Differences increased until that unhappy War broke out by which the Non-conforming Interest prevailed so that the Presbyterian Discipline was endeavoured to be fixed as the established Form of Government in this Nation our Universities Preachers Writings Education c. were generally modelled thereto by which means the greatest number of the trading part of the Kingdom several of the Gentry and some few of the Nobility observing the Precepts and Practices Lifes and Deaths of many of that Clergy to be Pious and Exemplary joyned with them of this or the like Perswasion Since which time it pleasing God to restore King Charles II. the Parliament thought it convenient to establish the same Discipline which our first Reformers judged prudential and that as the Dissenters do complain upon stricter Subscriptions than formerly not abating or laying aside any of those Ceremonies which have been matters of dispute and contention betwixt them and the Church of England ever since our blessed Reformation from Popery and Superstition Upon which account many of the Non-conforming Divines laid down their Livings and the old Controversies began afresh to be revived and so are like to be continued until we be either ruined by Popery or healed by Moderation which is the only Salve to cure the Churches Wounds and that admirable Remedy formerly proposed to the wisdom of Superiours by the Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet who having highly commended the prudence and temper of the French Churches in composing their publick Forms of Prayer that they were so far from inserting any thing controversial into them that Papists themselves would use them And saith he the same temper was used by our Reformers in the composing our Liturgy in reference to the Papists to whom they had an especial Eye as being the only Party then appearing whom they desired to draw into their Communion by coming as near them as they well and safely could And certainly those holy Men who did seek by any means to draw in others at such a distance from their Principles as the Papists were did never intend by what they did for that end to exclude any truly tender Consciences from their Communion That which they laid as a Bait for them was never intended by them as a Hook for those of their own Profession But the same or greater Reason which made them at that time yield so far to them then would now have perswaded them to alter and lay aside those things which yield matter of offence to any of the same Profession with themselves now For surely none will be so uncharitable toward those of his own Profession as not to think there is as much reason to yield in compliance with them as with the Papists And it cannot but be looked upon as a Token of God's severe displeasure against us if any though unreasonable Proposals of Peace between us and the Papists should meet with such entertainment among many and yet any fair offers of Vnion and Accomodation among our selves be so coldly embraced and entertained Thus far our Reverend and Learned Dean of Pauls delivered his Opinion as to these matters of Dispute near thirty Years a-gone before the Laws were established against Dissenters And in his Book Entituled The unreasonableness of Separation wrote twenty years after the former He hath given the World such a Testimony of his real Kindness to Dissenters notwithstanding his hard usuage from them and of his sincere and hearty desire to heal our unhappy Breaches and unite our unchristian Divisions as will for ever consecrate his Memory to posterity Upon these and some other like Considerations I should humbly propose to the Wisdom of this present Parliament some probable means

to put an end to our present Differences and to Unite us for the future that so we may become a flourishing Nation free from the Factions and Divisions of former Ages Proposals for our present Vniting 1. I Humbly propose that the Ceremonies at present enjoyned by Law might be left to the liberty of the Clergy to use or lay aside and that because the Dissenters on the one hand are perswaded that their conformity to them would be sinful and the Church of England on the other hand hath declared at several times that they are things indifferent and may be changed Upon our first Reformation in the account she hath given of Ceremonies why some be abolished and some retained She saith thus That as those Ceremonies were taken away which were most abused and did burthen Mens Consciences without any cause so the other that remain are retained for Discipline and Order which upon just causes may be altered and changed Again since his Majesties Restauration in her Preface to the Common-Prayer are these Words That the particular Forms of Divine Worship and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used being things in their own Nature indifferent and alterable and so acknowledged it is but reasonable that upon weighty and important Considerations according to the various exigency of times and occasions such changes should be made therein as to those that are in place of Authority should from time to time seem either necessary or expedient Accordingly we find that in the Reigns of several Princes of Blessed Memory since the Reformation the Church upon just and weighty Considerations her thereunto moving hath yielded to make such Alterations in some some particulars as in their respective times were thought convenient Thus far the Church of England And of late I find that a very eminent Member thereof the Reverend Dean of Canterbury hath aequainted us in a publick Sermon Preached by him at the Yorkshire-Feast That though it was not for private Persons to undertake in matters of publick concernment yet he thought he had no cause to doubt but the Governours of our Church notwithstanding all the advantages of Authority and Reason too as they thought on their side were Persons of that Piety and Prudence that for Peace sake and in order to a firm Vnion amongst Protestants they would be content if that would do it not to insist upon little things but to yield them up whether to the infirmity or importunity or perhaps in some very few things to the plausible exceptions of those who differed from them The Reverend Dr. Sherlock in a Sermon lately preached before the Lord Mayor hath likewise most charitably and piously declared his Thoughts about these matters of difference in the following Words We have reason to hope that the Church of England which at the beginning of the Reformation took such prudent Care not to offend the Papists going farther from them than was necessary will whenever it is likely to do good condescend a great deal farther than it is necessary to reform to meet the Dissenter for while the external decency gravity and solemnity of Worship is secured no wise and good Man will think much to change a changeable Ceremony when it will heal the Breaches and Divisions of the Church And let us all heartily pray to God that there may be this good and peaceable disposition of Mind in all Conformists and Non-conformists towards a happy re-union and all considering Men will think it time to lay aside such little Disputes when it is not meerly the Church of England nor any particular Sect of Protestants whose Ruin is aimed at but the whole Protestant Faith. And as a farther Confirmation of the readiness not only of our Divines but of the Fathers of our Church to incourage so glorious a Work His Grace of Canterbury and the rest of the petitioning Bishops did in their famous Petition for which they were sent Prisoners to the Tower assure his Majesty That they did not refuse to distribute and publish his Declaration for Liberty of Conscience from any want of due Tenderness to Dissenters in relation to whom they were willing to come to such a Temper as should be thought fit when that Matter should be considered and setled in Parliament and Convocation And not long after another company of Bishops who were sent for by the late King Iames to give him their Advice in in several important Affairs of the Nation among other things proposed That a Free Parliament should establish a due Liberty of Conscience The Archbishop of Canterbury was to earnest to promote this so Christian Design that among those admirable Articles recommended by his Grace to all the Bishops within his Province which were to be more fully insisted upon in their Addresses to the Clergy and People of their respective Diocesses this was one That they also walk in Wisdom towards those that are not of our Communion And if there be in their Parishes any such that they neglect not frequently to confer with them in the Spirit of Meekness seeking by all good Ways and Means to gain and win them over to our Communion More especially that they have a very tender Regard to our Brethren the Protestant Dissenters that upon occasion offered they visit them at their Houses and receive them kindly at their own and treat them fairly wherever they meet them perswading them if it may be to a full compliance with our Church or at least that whereunto we have already attained we may all walk by the same Rule and mind the same thing And in order hereunto that they take all Opportunities of Assuring and Convincing them that the Bishops of this Church are really and sincerely irreconcilable to the Errors Superstitions Idolatries and Tyrannies of the Church of Rome And that they warmly and most affectionately exhort them to joyn with us in Daily Fervent Prayer to the God of Peace for an Vniversal Blessed Vnion of all the Reformed Churches both at home and abroad against our common Enemies and that all they who do confess the Holy Name of our Dear Lord and do agree in the Truth of his Holy Word may also meet in one Holy Communion and live in perfect Vnity and Godly Love. Now seeing the Church of England once and again declared her excellent temper and moderation for the preservation of Peace and Unity the great end and design of all Church-government we have little reason to question her readiness at such a time as this is to comply with so modest a Proposal as a liberty of using or refusing those Ceremonies which she saith In their own nature are indifferent and alterable and upon weighty and important considerations may be changed c. or to grant her consent to such a Subscription in relation to those Articles which concern the Government and Discipline of the Church as are proposed by the Learned Dean of S. Paul's in the Appendix especially considering that by