Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	word_n	work_n	wretched_a	61	3	8.3117	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40705	The case of the times discuss'd being a serious exercitation of two cases grounded upon Romans 13, vers. 1,2,3,4,5 : First, how far we are bound to obey, when we are not satisfied that the laws are for our good, 2nd, whether subjection more than not to resist powers : to which is added some remarks upon a late book entituled The Protestant reconciler / by Fr. Fullwood ...	Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693.	1683 (1683)	Wing F2497; ESTC R33315	30,137	166

The same learned Author observes with me pag. 3. of his Book That the Dissenters are very prone on all Occasions to cry out against Imposing of these things as the Conditions of Communion but they say little of any weight or moment to shew it is utterly Vnlawful under the present Circumstances to yield Obedience or Submission to the things imposed But here I cannot forbear to wonder that the same Author that makes this Observation useth the same Weapon in Favour of Dissenters His main Point is this That Things Indifferent which may he changed and alter'd without Sin especially under our present circumstances ought not to be Impos'd by our Superiours as Conditions of Communion c. This is the Subject which he makes the Scope and Business of his Treatise Now tho' I intend not to enter upon this Argument yet I must note the unseasonable pressing it under our present Circumstances And I am bold to say it seems to be rather Clamour then Scruple Clamour without Reason and a plain abetting the Error he observes in others and all to draw on his Designed Condescention which yet no Body can grant him 1. For even those that made the Law for Conformity are themselves sub lege under that Law And none have Power out of Parliament not now in being to Alter the Law And tho' the same Persons that made the Law be still our Superiours they are not now our Legislators but only Doers or at most but Administrators of the Law already made and have no Power to Condescend in these Matters as his Phrase is Of this the Learned RECONCILER himself was aware tho' the Design of his Book would perswade to the contrary I therefore wonder saith he at the Wickedness and Injustice of those Men who clamour so much against them because such Condescentions are not immediately made i. e. because they do not change the Law which 't is not in their Power to do p. 9. 2. Yea as the Conformist cannot Condescend to the Dissenter by Altering the Laws so neither can he Meet him in the Abatement of his Conformity according to them without Breach of his Duty and becoming a Dissenter himself and a Transgressor of the Laws yea a Violator of his Engagements Promises and Oaths And if this Sentence be true what would our Dissenting Brethren have us to do The Case is plain If the things required be not sinful They may and Ought to come to us but we cannot there is a Great Gulf fixed I say we cannot come to them Certainly in our present Circumstances this is worthy their saddest Meditations 3. Hence give me leave to observe That supposing as our late Pleas for Condescention do suppose that the things required are Indifferent tho' Unnecessary the Face of the Controversie seemeth to look Otherwise than it did heretofore for indeed the great Argument betwixt us is quite inverted Before it was thus on their side when the Pretence was That they could not have Communion with us Without Sin You acknowledge the Things in Controversie are in themselves Indifferent alterable we believe they are Sinful Therefore we cannot Ascend to you but you May and Ought to Condescend to us and remove the Difference But now 't is quite otherwise on the Conformists side He now pleads You acknowledge the Matters struck at to be Indifferent though you like them not We say Tho' they are so in themselves yet the Use of them is by the Law c. made Necessary You may come to Us Without Sin We cannot Without Sin come to You. Let the Fault the Breach the Schism and all the Dread Consequences of it and Fears attending it be laid no more at the Conformists Door 4. To Conclude Let me beseech the Protestant-Reconciler seriously to reflect upon his late Book and consider Whether he hath pursued the True Point whereon our present Duty and Peace and Safety depends He hath very industrously labour'd to lay Grounds for a Happy Accommodation when we shall have a Parliament and Convocation But in the mean time where are we Our Condition is deplorable But what is the present Remedy Would not half this pains have bin better bestow'd to Perswade Dissenters that Vnion Submission to Authority and the doing of our duty is alwaies necessary and that we are bound in Conscience to attend Gods Publick Worship among us Established by Law seeing there 's nothing there required but what we may Lawfully Practice and that this is the only probable means in Reason Policy and Divinity to Scatter our fears defeat our Enemies and Secure us from Destruction Especially Considering we know not Certainly when we shall have a Parliament and we know less whether when we have a Parliament they will see reason in all that he hath said to Alter the Law for their Satisfaction And lastly that the question what the King and Parliament ought to impose doth not so much Concern us as what is our Duty to do 5. Yet I must not charge this our Reconciler with a total Omission of that necessary Point I have noted something already And in his pag. 58 59. we find him asking some Pious Seasonable and Argumentative Questions of our Dissenting Brethren which I heartily pray they would seriously weigh and then answer not in Word but in Deed and in Truth Thus he accosts them in the midst of his Many Arguments on their Behalf Here let it be noted saith he that those Arguments propounded from the Example and Sayings of our Saviour against the Imposing of Indifferent Things I say these Arguments fall many of them with more weight on the Dissenters provided they can shew no Law of God plainly Forbidding their Submission to these things For let me ask them in the Spirit of Meekness these few Questions Do they prefer Mercy before Sacrifice who will not submit to Rites and Circumstances or to the use of things no where forbidden in the Word to prevent Schism and all the Dreadfull Consequences of it but rather will cause their Superiours to judge them Scandalous Resisters of Authority and pertinatious Disturbers of the Church's Peace Are they Compassionate towards the Sheep according to our Lord's Example who rather will Refuse to become Labourers in the Harvest than Suhmit to these Little Things in order to their regular Performance of this Blessed Work Do they not Scandalize and Contribute unto the Ruin of CHRIST's Little Ones who do involve them in a wretched SCHISM on the Account of things which They may Lawfully Submit unto Do they not shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men who Forbid them to ENTER IN when they may Do they not Impose Heavy Burdens also who say to their Disciples Hear Not the COMMON PRAYER Receive not the SACRAMENT Kneeling suffer not your Children to be signed with the Sign of the CROSS communicate not with that Minister who wears a SURPLICE or with the Church which Imposeth any Ceremonies or any Constitutions but concerning the Time