Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A90526
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A perswasive to all dissenters to unity in religion, as it is establish'd in the Church of England
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1684
(1684)
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Wing P1671; ESTC R230755
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6,952
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11
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Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers Submit to every Ordinance of Man c. Rebellion is as the sin of Witcheraft and Stubborness is as Iniquity and Idolatry Let us consider that Caesar is our King Caesar is the Lords Anointed Caesar is our Nursing Father Caesar is the Breath of our Nostrils Caesar is the Son of such a Caesar who was a Martyr who laid down his Life to preserve us from Slavery Our Caesar hath been Miraculously Preserv'd and Miraculously Restor'd nothing can be too Much nothing can be too Dear for such a Caesar Certainly Obedience to such a Prince and to his Lawful Commands would be more acceptable than all your long Prayers and frequent Preaching which is become your Idol and which you set up in the room of the Crosses you have pull'd down Speak out and tell us whether an Act for Vniformity and Conformity made by the three States of the Land be a Legal Act or no If it be why do you not Obey Why do you trouble the Waters with your needless Scruples of little weight and value and about Trifles only as you call them Is not the Word truly dispensed in our Publick Churches Are not the Sacraments rightly Administred Are not our Prayers free from Scandal and Irreverence Are not our Doctrines clear of Errour and Falsity Why then do you deny to Hear Receive and Communicate together But in spite as I may say both of the Commands of God and Man separate your selves and run into Disobedience I verily believe those of the Church of England would never run into that contempt of the King and his Laws I am perswaded that for Conscience sake they would submit should the King and Parliament by their Authority take away those Ceremonies about which you contend they have learn'd better than to Rebel and the Doctrine of our Church hath endued us with sounder and better Principles O that I could but make you senfible of the Blessing of this Unity How much Glory it would add to the Nation How much Scandal it would take from Religion How much Security it would give to three Kingdoms How much Content and Satisfaction to your Prince and how much Joy and Gladness to the Hearts of all your Brethren what Peace should we enjoy at Home What Esteem and Awe should we purchase Abroad What Love would be begotten between one another And what Happiness and Prosperity would it bring to all You would then see again those Happy days of Queen Elizabeth our Armies to Prosper our Citizens to Flourish Conquest Abroad and Peace at Home Charity to increase and Contention to cease Love to abound and Strife to wax less The Golden Age would seem to be return'd again and Righteousness would run down like a stream there would then be a general rejoycing in our Streets and we should all cry out This is the Lords doing it is marvelous in our Eyes At last therefore endeavour to satisfy your Consciences go about it in earnest lay aside all Stubbornness of Heart all Spiritual Pride all Self-Interest Let the Case be stated truly betwixt you There are those that will not think much to convince you if Scripture and Reason will do it But you must then come with willing minds you must not be so stiff as you have hitherto been rather than comply oâ—e jot you will Break you cannot Bow you will not yield in what you may in those things that you cannot Condemn you will not so much as Read the Chapters appointed for the Day because Commanded you will not repeat the Creed and the Ten Commandments you will but rarely admit of the Lords Trayer because by us so often used a Prayer composed by Wisdom it self and therefore it must needs be the most perfect and Divine Prayer that was ever made And those who have thus far comply'd and set you a good Example have been reproach'd for it and have been look'd upon as Backsliders But this is not the way to Unity and Peace you must bring willing and yielding Hearts with you you must not be Obstinate and Opiniative you must not be Resolved before-hand you must have Desires and Longings for Unity you must hear without Passion and interest and with a desire not of Disputing and shewing your Parts but of satisfying your Minds and Consciences and then no doubt but your Scruples may be all resolved and you may Conform with satisfaction Lay these things seriously to your Heart pass them not slightly over think not these words only a little vain Air God may call you by a weak instrument by a small Voice Resist not the Spirit Harden not your Hearts This God that Calls he would have you return remember the Womb wherein you were Born and the Paps that gave you Suck Think of the Peace and Unity of Israel be Dutifull as Children Love as Brethren Obey the King Submit to Ordinances be Subject to Rulers Honour the Magistrate Yield to Governours be United in Mind be of one Heart Worship together Separate no longer and God will build you up Then God will be known in Judah and his Name will be great in Israel You shall then be United like Israel and Judah you shall have but one King you shall be no more two Nations What Nation will there be so Great who hath God so nigh unto them Then you shall be his People and he will be your God he will give you one Heart and one Way that you may Fear him for ever for the good of you and your Children after you Then will ye with one Mind and one Voice glorify God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Printed and Sold by N. Thompson at the Entrance into the Old-Spring-Garden near Charing-Cross 1684.
meet to Worship God there are seldom any in the Congregation that knows what is said there except the Priest that read it But Blessed be God for it it is not so with Us for Ours is truly Common Prayer for it is written and read in that Language which is common to all the Congregations in the Kingdom So that no man that frequents our Publick Congregations where the Common Prayer is used can ever plead Ignorance of any one Duty whatsoever For if it be not his own fault he may there be instructed in every thing which he that made him requires of him And seeing it hath pleased the most high God to comprise his whole Will and by consequence our Duty in the Ten Commandments hence we read them constantly every Sunday and Holy day throughout the whole year by which means every one that doth not wilfully shut his Eyes may clearly fee and fully understand his whole Duty both to God and Man especially considering that in the Prayers themselves also there is frequent mention made of all those Vices which ought to be avoided and all those good works which ought to be performed by us So that we can never come to Church but we are still put in mind both of what we ought and what we ought not not to do that we may be saved Whereas if all and every person in the Congregation would always be upon their Knees while they put up their Petitions to the most high God what a mighty advantage would this be not only to every one in particular but to the whole Congregation in general For as every one would by this means keep his heart more stedfast in the true fear and dread of God and likewise more certainly obtain the good things he Prays for and by this means we should excite and enflame each others Devotions confirm and strengthen one anothers Faith and convince both our selves and all that see us that Religion is a serious thing and that we believe it to be so by our serving God with so much Reverence and Godly fear as this humble Posture representeth for it is lamentable to think what absurd things are done in the time of Divine Service for I have seen some People sitting in the time of Common Prayer if we did but consider we are in that Holy place where Gods Majesty is represented and our Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge us all at the last day and therefore as you tender the Love of God the Credit of Religion or the Salvation of your own Souls I beseech you all in the Name of him that made you that whensoever you come hither to Pray unto Him you do it in that Awful Lowly and Solemn manner which our Church commandeth and as becomes Creatures when you speak to your Great and Almighty Creator that so you may give true Worship and Honour unto Him and also receive that Benefit and Edification of your selves which he hath Promised and you expect from Publick Prayers This being certainly the most edifying Posture that you can possibly use upon such occasions Therefore great Blessings do we lose by neglecting to come to the Publick Prayers of the Church on the Week days when we have so great opportunity and our Churches so near us and Prayers Morning and Evening in a great many places and yet how many do neglect coming and what a poor Congregation do we see in many great Parishes Is not this a shame to Christian Religion We find time for every thing else and shall we not find time for this great Concern of our Souls for with what Conscience can we expect a Blessing from our Heavenly Father without asking it And what an ungrateful thing it is to receive Blessings at Gods hands daily and not as daily to acknowledge and give him Thanks for it in publick every day as well as private For by the publick we let the World see we are not ashamed of our Religion For my Charity prompts me to believe that all the zeal that some express against the Common Prayer and all that indifferency that is in others for it proceeds from their Ignorance of what it is or at least from their want of an Experimental knowledge of it For let any man that seriously minds the Worship of God and the Salvation of his Soul before all things else let such a one I say set himself in good earnest to use the Common Prayer as he ought to do for some considerable time and I do not doubt but that by the Blessing of God he will find that benefit and edification by it that his own experience shall convince him of all that I have now said more than all the Arguments that I have or any man in the World can ever produce to him Lay aside now your Passions I beseech you put off your former Conversation and be renewed in the Spirit of your mind Speak every man Truth with his Neighbour for we are Members one of another Christ is our Head There is but one Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all O do but consider the Beauty of Unity let it allure you let it break your stifness let it move you to run into the open Arms of your Mother and to be knit in the Bands of Amity with your Brethren Confider how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Unity And Psal 133. How Happy and Blessed then would the Nation be The Nations round about us would Tremble and our Adversaries would be Confounded O that there were a full Assent and Consent among you both in Spirituals as well as Temporals It is not enough that you Live together that you Trade together that you Converse one with another but to compleat your Happiness you must Pray together and Worship together that compleats the Friendship We have been too long assunder why should there be any difference between Benjamin and Judah 〈…〉 I say at last as Brethren come with wiâ—â—ing Hearts and â—inds The Goliah of Opposition may be easily slain one single Stone will sink that Philistine Let some among you set an Example others will follow Consider the Peace of Israel more than your own Interest and think how you will strengthen the Hands of your Brethren by this so much desired Unity and Happy Conformity Let at last the great Mercy that is shown you be a motive to bring you to this desired and Happy Unity Let Love draw you to rest no longer meet with Kindness and Submission The Benevolence and Tender-heartedness of so Gracious a Prince towards you How then can you Answer your contempt of the Laws and Commands not only of a Christian Prince but of our own Church too One that Commands nothing but Lawful things it is not enough that you think otherwise of them and that you pretend Scruples of Conscience there is no such exception in the Rule laid down by the the Apostle