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 king_n law_n 5,822 5 4.7877 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A80364 Considerations on the bill depending, for preventing occasional conformity humbly offered by the people called Quakers. 1695 (1695) Wing C5912aA; ESTC R229791 1,217 4

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

CONSIDERATIONS ON THE BILL Depending for Preventing Occasional Conformity Humbly Offered by the People called Quakers IN the latter part of the Preamble of this Bill it is declared that the Act passed in the First Year of the Reign of King William and Queen Mary Entituled An Act for Exempting their Majesties Protestant Subjects Dissenting from the Church of England from the Penalties of certain Laws ought Inviolably to be Observed Which Noble Declaration would give us Ground to hope that nothing is designed in this Bill to Infringe the said Act of Exemption yet in the Beginning of the Preamble and following Clauses of it we have as we humbly conceive Reason to think the Liberty given by the said Act is made liable to a Doubtful Sense if not Infringed First The Term Truly in the Preamble not being Limited in its acceptation may be so construed as to interfer with the Design of the Act for Exemption which is therein declared to be to Unite the Queen's Protestant Subjects in Interest and Affection which good End that Parliament did hope Effectually to obtain by giving some Ease to Scrupulous Consciences in the Exercise of Religion as therein appears without leaving it to any Subordinate Magistrate to determine what is or is not Truly Scrupulous Secondly It seemed meet to that Parliament not to distinguish the Religious Assemblies or Meetings of Protestant Dissenters with the Term of Conventicles as in this Bill under which Term by some former Laws we have severely suffered Thirdly To make any Person in Office an Offender and to forfeit his Office or Turst with a Penalty only for Resorting to or being Present at any such Assembly as aforesaid when the Occasion may be on the account of a Funeral c. we conceive if Enacted will not only infringe the Toleration but render Illegal the Common Offices of Love and Humanity betwixt Friends and Relations and not only to those who do Occasionally Conform but also to Constant Conformist●● Fourthly That Act allows sundry Offices to be served by Deputy this Bill makes no such Provision except for Offices of Inheritance Fifthly As we are Free-men of Corporations and Members of Companies by the Terms of Admission we are bound to do in our Course the several Duties thereof which by this Bill we are not only rendred incapable of but also subject to Fines and Penalties for not doing them Sixthly The Words Scandalous and Irreligious Practices used in this Bill being in the Plural seems to conclude the Resorting to or being Present at the Religious Meetings of Protestant Dissenters equally offensive with an Occasional receiving of the Sacrament only for a Place of Profit or Turst in the Government which we hope is not intended for that would carry an unmerited Reflection on Religious Assemblies and is as we conceive not agreeable with the Act for Exemption Seventhly we have never sought after any Place of Profit or Trust in the Government and therefore pray that the Conscientious Liberty which we thankfully Enjoy and was granted by that Act may be kept entire Lastly As it is our Christian Principle to suffer for Conscience so the same makes us plead for the Liberty of it to all whose Morals and Obedience to the Government cannot Justly be questioned and we conceive restraining from Proving all things 1 Thes 5.21 in order to hold fast that which may be most conducing to future Happiness the Chief End of RELIGION is opposite to the Apostle's Advice And where such Restraint is we cannot think the Toleration secure