Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	day_n	holy_a	week_n	11,912	5	10.1247	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69910	The Protestant conformist, or, A plea for moderation contained in a letter from one conforming minister to another : and his answer to it.	N. Y.; N. D.	1679 (1679)	Wing D68; ESTC R4499	12,308	8

of their own making that these valiant Champions are crowing over And to hear these inveigh against our first and most zealous Reformers for some different apprehensions or expressions about some abstruser and darker points which themselves have never studied nor understood and the Articles of the Church of England seem so much to favour is loathsom to sober minds and begets an opinion in those that have any prejudice against or are dissenters from the Church of England that we are returning again to Rome and enemies to the Reformation they first promoted Again the putting all dissenters in the same rank and bespattering them with the names of Schismaticks Factious and Seditious though many of them do not break communion with us to me seems very harsh and unreasonable if not unjust It 's well known to the world there be many learned sober godly men amongst them some whereof you and I have the happiness of a prositable acquaintance and sweet conversation with who though they be not satisfied to do some things the Law requires and which our Church might well spare if our Rulers saw meet to dispense with them that otherwise are as true to and some of them as zealous able Champions for the Doctrine of the Church of England as any of our selves This foolish dividing humour helps to widen and keep open the difference between true Protestants and mens distances from and unacquaintedness with each other makes them to look upon one another as Hobgoblins and frightful apparitions whereas a more familiar acquaintance and converse together would let men see that they are not such Bugbears and monsters as some fiery Zealots on both sides represent them to be When I came first to this place my Predecessor who was a Don Furioso against Dissenters and looked upon himself thereby as better qualified for the Preferment which he obtained told me I must beware of such persons in my Parish that were dangerous factious and turbulent fellows and of such a Minister who preached amongst them as a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition But upon a little trial and observation I found they were the most serious diligent Auditors I had and upon a further enquiry after them and acquaintance with them I perceived they were such as lived most conscientiously in the practice of the great unquestionable duties of Christianity in all my Parish I saw none so charitably disposed upon any good occasion none more just in their dealings none more ready or willing to give me my just dues none more peaceable among their neighbours striving to prevent or compose differences none more careful to sanctifie the Sabbath to instruct their Children and Servants and to pray in their Families making conscience both of first and second Table Duties and in one word ready to every good work I wish I could say so of all those that glory to be stiled true Sons of the Church of England and which he commended to me as such whose zeal runs out mainly if not only for Rites and Ceremonies and will cry devoutly on the Lords day with us in the publick Liturgy Lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners and yet live all the week without any open or solemn acknowledgment of God in their Families And as for the Minister he gave such a character of I found him an holy learned modest self-denying man who seems to have no design but to get to Heaven himself and to get as many thither with him as possibly he can He is frequently my Auditor and I have much pleasing conversation with him It 's the grief of my soul that we cannot take such men into our Pulpits without offence who if they might but have that liberty would never run into corners as we now drive them And this Gentleman to shun all occasions of offence never Preaches in the time of our publick Service but the people come constantly to hear me and when we have done he Preaches to them and many others go to hear him which I am not offended at but rather bless God for such an helper in my work And truly we may talk what we will of the Church of England but if we do not take care to build up the Church of God and encourage men to serious diligence about the business of Salvation we may please our selves with such a notion but neither God nor man will be pleased with us It 's no part of our prudence nor interest I am sure none of our duty to widen the breaches and weaken the interest of true Protestants but rather to study all amicable and peaceable ways to bring things to a better composure and to strengthen one anothers hands against the common enemy It was no pleasing sight to me to see so many of our Function to shew so much zeal and heat at our late Election of Knights for this Shire to serve in Parliament for such a Gentleman who though he may be an honest Gentleman and might serve his Country faithfully for ought I know yet both you and I know that he is untried and a younger inexperienced man and never manifested that zeal and courage for the Protestant Religion and the Property of the Subject which are the two things at this time chiefly to be looked after as his Competitor hath done And whether he be sufficiently ballasted and fortified against the temptations he might meet with in such a station is doubtful to all especially to those that consider how the Papists generally fall in with him and the charge he is at whether at his own cost or others is not material to procure it I know both you and I are exposed to the censure of some of our Brethren for not voting with them and reproached for being for a Fanatick or Presbyterian though the Gentleman is known to hold communion with the Church of England and as conformable as the Law requires And truly if sobriety and seriousness and zeal for the Protestant Religion and the Properties of Englishmen must denominate men for Fanaticks and Presbyterians we shall give the party so stiled a great reputation and veneration in the minds of men and draw contempt upon our own heads and if we go on at this rate we shall make Ichabod to sigh out five groans more for our Church and instead of advancing the honour and reputation of the Church of England we shall but bring further odium and scorn and reproach upon her I know there are many worthy men of the Church of England whose sobriety and seriousness and learning and zeal and moderation doth appear to all men which are a grace and an honour to her but her spurious off-spring are as little pleased with them as with Dissenters themselves And because they will not rail at and revile and reproach them that differ from them in lesser things though the Apostle spends a whole Chapter to teach us forbearance in these things Rom. 14 and our Master hath set us a contrary