Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	act_n	house_n	parliament_n	3,356	5	6.7800	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33092	A declaration of the commissioners of the General Assembly to the whole kirk and kingdome of Scotland concerning present dangers and duties relating to the covenant and religion.	Church of Scotland. General Assembly. Commission.	1648 (1648)	Wing C4218; ESTC R25372	8,541	18

as concerneth the duty of our places and callings endeavour the preservation of Monarchicall government in his Majesty and his Posterity according to the Covenant not being ignorant what confusion and calamities use to attend the change either of the government it self or of the Royal line Neverthelesse the country being so generally possessed with so dangerous a mistake misunderstanding of so great a businesse and his Majestie himself professing in his letter to us dated at Carisbrook Castle the 27 of December last that he hath resolved so far to agree to the desires of this Kirk and Kingdom concerning the Covenant and setling Religion as hee is confident shall give us satisfaction If now wee should be silent we might be understood as tacitely consenting and acquiescing Wee are therefore necessitated for undeceiving the Nation and for accquitting our selves to declare that a Narrative of the state of publick affairs having been made to us by those who were entrusted for that effect and since delivered to us in writing Wee have more especially taken to our serious thoughts so much of that Narrative as was from His Majesty made known unto us as his resolutions for satisfaction in point of Religion The first Article whereof is as followeth 1. For the Covenant His Majesty giving beleef to the professions of those who have entred into the League and Covenant and that their intentions are reall for preservation of His Majesties Person according to their allegeance and no ways to diminish his just Power and Greatnesse is content so soon as he can with freedom honour and safety be present in a free Parliament to confirm the said League and Covenant by Act of Parliament in both Kingdoms for security of all those who have taken or shall take the said Covenant Provided that none who is unwilling shall be constrained to take it Which Article hath nothing in it of His Majesties affection to or liking and approbation of the Covenant but onely what he is content to yeeld in order to his own interest Yea an Act of Parliament for security of those who have taken or shal take the Covenant doth or may suppose some fault or somewhat justly challengable in the taking of the Covenant which needeth an Act of Indemnity Next the offer is but conditionall and hath in the bosom of it a complication of such and so many conditions as might open a door to some evasion or other by multiplying exceptions difficulties and various notions either concerning the professions of those who have entred into the League Covenant or concerning His Majesties just power and greatnesse or concerning his freedom honour and safety or concerning a free Parliament And although the concession were certain and absolute it amounts to no more but to a leaving of the Covenant arbitrary which is contrary to the Acts of the Generall Assembly and Parliament in this Kingdom to the Declaration of both Kingdoms before cited and to one of the chief Propositions of Religion once agreed upon by both Kingdoms for a safe and wel grounded Peace viz. The Proposition concerning His Majesties wearing and signing of the League and Covenant and enjoyning by Act of Parliament in both Kingdoms the taking thereof by all the Subjects in the three Kingdoms with such penalties as shall be agreed upon by both Kingdoms So that the first Article of His Majesties offer is a most manifest altering of the State of this cause It is also a strengthening of the hearts and hands both of the Sectaries and of the Malignant Party a partaking and conniving at the sin of all those in the three Kingdoms who have refused or shall refuse to enter into the League Covenant an introducing of a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much concerneth the glory God the good of the Kingdom and the honour of the King And therefore wee have judged this Article not onely unsatisfactory but destructive to the Covenant Neither are wee moved with that objection which is hinted concerning the constraining or enforcing men consciences They refuse a necessary duty who refuse to take the Covenant and the penalty or punishment of such refusall is no constraining of the Conscience more then the penalty or punishment of a Subject who refuseth to take the Oath of Allegiance is a constraining of the conscience to Loyalty or more then the punishment of Idolaters Blasphemers and Seducers mentioned so often in Scripture can be called a constraining of the conscience to the fear of God The words of the second Article are these His Majesty will likewise confirm by Act of Parliament in England Presbyteriall Government the Directory for Worship and Assembly of Divines at Westminster for three years so that his Majesty and his houshold be not hindered from using that form of Divine Service he hath formerly practised and that a free debate and consultation be had with the Divines at Westminster twenty of his Majesties nomination being added unto them and with such as shal be sent from the Church of Scotland whereby it may be determined by his Majestie and the two Houses how the Church Government after the three years shall be fully established according to the Word of God For ought we know the conditions couched in the first Article are also to be understood in this and the following Articles However this second Article as it is but the same in substance with some of his Majesties concessions in former Messages so that which is proposed in it is but a Toleration of Presbyterial Government in England and that but for three years and is a direct allowance at least of the book of Common-Prayer in his Majesties Houshold And moreover by the second Article not only a door is left open for re-establishing Prelacy and the Service Book But the happy progress already made in the Reformation and Uniformitie of Religion according to the Covenant in a Confession of Faith Directorie of Worship Form of Church Government and Catechism is set aside as so much lost labour in order to a future settlement Free debate with any of the Prelaticall party nominated by his Majestie when there was any such occasion hath not been declined But we have great cause to be tender of unsetling and razing a good foundation alreadie laid in the work of Reformation And whereas his Majestie will have it determined by himself and the two Houses how the Church Government after the said three years shall be established according to the Word of God This doth at once cut off three of the most materiall and most necessary Propositions concerning Religion formerly agreed upon by both Kingdoms and from both tendred to his Majestie though some of them be now laid aside by the two Houses of the Parliament of England namely The third Proposition for abolishing Archbishops Bishops c. The fifth Proposition That Reformation of Religion according to the Covenant be setled by Act of Parliament in such manner as both houses

have agreed or shall agree upon after consultation had with the Assembly of Divines And the sixth Proposition That such unity and uniformitie in Religion according to the Covenant as after consultation had with the Divines of both Kingdoms assembled at Westminster is or shall be joyntly agreed by both Houses of the Parliament of England and by the Church and Kingdome of Scotland be confirmed by Acts of Parliament of both Kingdoms respectively Of which three Propositions there can be no hopes as to his Majesties consent or concurrence if the offer now made concerning a determination by his Majestie and the two Houses be compared with his Majesties claiming of a negative voyce and with his Message of Nov. 16. in which he declared that both in Relation as he is a Christian and as a King he cannot give his consent to the abolishing Archbishops Bishops c. Beleeving that this order was placed in the Church by the Apostles themselves and that his Majesty is also bound by his Coronation Oath to maintain it And this message of November 16. His Majestie adhereth unto in his Answer to the Bills and Propositions presented to him at Carisbrook Castle which Answer is dated December 28. and so after his Majesties Letter to us Upon these and the like considerations we have found the said second Article of his Majesties offers in point of Religion to be destructive to Presbyteriall Government the Directorie of Worship and the uniformitie intended according to the Covenant For the third Article delivered to us in these words And for suppressing of Schism and Heresies his Majestie is content and most willing that an effectual course be taken by Act of Parliament and all other wayes needfull and expedient for suppressing the opinions and practises of Antitrinitarians Arrians Socinians Antiscripturists Antinomians Anabaptists Arminians Familists Brownists Separatists Independents Libertines and Seekers and generally for suppressing all Blasphemie Heresie Schism and all such scandalous doctrine or practises as are contrary to the light of nature or to the known principles of Christianity whether concerning faith worship or conversation or to the power of Godliness or which may be destructive to Order or Government or to the peace of Church or Kingdome As we do approve of the Suppression of the particular Heresies and Schismes enumerated in his Majesties offer So we see not how it can be reconciled with his Majesties Message of November 16. in which there was a concession to all such as differ from Presbyteriall Government And do further find the Article dangerous and defective in omitting Erastianism and other dangerous errours especially Popery and Prelacy which may prove destructive to the Covenant in ministring the occasion to Papists and Prelates to plead for a toleration although the Covenant bind us to endeavour the extirpation both of Popery and Prelacy Having now discovered the snares and dangers we shall in the next place most humbly and seriously propose and recommend some wholsom seasonable and pious counsels to all the Members of this Church and Kingdom especially to the Honorable and High Court of Parliament and to the Brethren of the Ministry which may also serve to express our sense concerning the whole matter contained in that narrative delivered to us in writing so far as is competent and fit for us to give any judgment thereupon First of all we exhort all and every one to make more conscience of endeavouring a reall Reformation of themselves and their Families and of the places in which they live then ever yet they have done to be more serious in searching their hearts considering their ways and purging themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit to perfect holiness in the fear of God to oppose wickedness and prophaneness promote the power and practise of Godliness and to be deeply humbled before the Lord for neglecting these things so much and so long with all employing and improving Christs al-sufficiency and striving to exercise faith in him for the grace of mortification and sanctification as well as for remission of sins and peace with God that being implanted and rooted in him we may grow up as trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified for without amendment of life and bringing forth of better fruit the fierce wrath of the Lord cannot turn away from us Secondly as men desire they may not be led into temptation but may be guided in safe and right paths in the midst of so great difficulties Let them avoid the company and counsel of the ungodly whereby even good men have been oft times most dangerously insnared Let all that fear God choose the Testimonies of the Lord for their counsellors be much in prayer and searching the mind of God in his word without leaning to their own understanding or consulting with flesh and blood in cases of conscience Thirdly seeing it is no act of wisdom but of folly so to shun one danger as to run upon another as bad or worse Let us therefore avoid enemies and beware of dangers on all hands We cannot see but the cause of God the true Religion the Covenant Presbyteriall Government this Church and Kingdom and whatsoever is dearest to us wil be in as great danger if the Prelatical party prevail as now they are in by the power and prevalency of Sectaries in England who have made the Covenant and begun Reformation to be laid aside and hindered the promoting thereof So that there is a necessity to be apprehensive of dangers and attentive to remedies on both sides and to beware of compliance with and connivance at Sectaries upon the one hand and Malignants upon the other Fourthly when we speak of Malignants we desire that the distinction may be remembered which was made in the solemn Warning to the Kingdom from the Generall Assembly in February 1645. Viz. That the cause is in very great danger from two sorts of Malignant enemies First from such as have openly displayed a Bannar or joyned in Arms and professed Hostility against the cause and such as adhered thereunto Secondly from secret Malignants Discovenanters and bosom Enemies This second sort may be still known by some Characters given both at that time and before that time as by their slandering or censuring the Covenant of the three Kingdoms and expedition into England in the year 1643 as not necessary for the good of Religion or safety of this Kingdom or as tending to the diminution of the Kings just power and greatness by their confounding of the Kings Power and just Authority with the pretence and abuse thereof by Commissions Warrants or Letters procured from his Majesty by the enemies of this cause and Covenant as if none were faithful and loyal to the King who oppose such men and their ways by their spleen malice and calumnies against such as God hath made eminently instrumentall in this cause and who resolve to be constant to the end in their first Principles as