Selected quad for the lemma: nation_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A42476
|
Charis kai eirēnē, or, Some considerations upon the Act of uniformity with an expedient for the satisfaction of the clergy within the province of Canterbury / by a servant of the God of peace.
|
Gauden, John, 1605-1662.
|
1662
(1662)
|
Wing G347; ESTC R26763
|
28,892
|
52
|
holinesse in the fear of the Lord and withall in my place to contribute towards the work of the Ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullnesse of Christ by promoting a powerfull Preaching by erecting a severe Discipline by exercising an impartiall Authority by shewing an exemplary Conversation in order to the restoring of that purity decency order and Uniformity of Christian Religion which becomes the wisedom and honour of this Nation by the exactest Conformity with the Catholick Church in its purest and Primitive Constitution a happinesse to be effected and enjoyed by the pious Councils devout Prayers potent Preaching and Learned Writings of good and great men owned by all Churches loved by all people supported by all Princes according to all right reason all due order all politick honour all Scripturall patterns and Divine presidents besides the Laws and antient Customs of this Church and State which had allwaies a due regard to the greatnesse of their Learning the soundness of their Judgement the gravity of their Ages the sanctity of their Lives and the dignity of their Calling 3. Instead of the excellent society of Saints and Angells which I hoped for in Heaven I was content to be with the Excellent that are in the Earth who content themselves with that plain and pristine holynesle which is taught in the Scripture deposited in the Church preserved by an holy Ministry expressed in Christian lives Most eminently manifested in Jesus Christ and his Apostles the great and famous teachers and examples of holy truth holy duties holy Sacraments holy Orders and holy Ministry in the Church to this time that holinesse by which we obey the command embrace the truth fear the threatnings observe the duties preserve the Institutions continue the Orders reverence the Embassadours joy in the Graces hope in the promises and in all things are conformable to Christ by his blessed Spirit who transforms us from glory to glory I mean those holy men 1. that hear the word with trembling 2. that pray with understanding constancy fervency reverence and comlinesle 3. that receive the pledges of Gods love in Christ from the hands of Reverend men called of God by the Church with care preparednesse and thankfullnesse 4. those holy men who love in sincerity give with cheerfullnesse rejoyce in well doing suffer with patience live by faith act by charity And live in order contentednesse and humility a communion of these Saints is part of the glory to be revealed O happy those who enjoy the benefit of their comprehensive abilities their astonishing accomplishments their powerfull discourses their obliging conversations their enflamed devotion their exact piety their remarkable integrity their innocent and large prudence their servent zeal and their publick Spirit O it is good for us to be here 4. Even the High-prayses of God which we hope shall be in our mouthes with Angels and Arch-Angells We may enjoy in the Holy Church which throughout all the World doth acknowledge God with heavenly prayses they on Earth answering one another as they in Heaven Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Not without those Excellencies to which the Ingenuous industry of Christians hath attained for singing and the use of Musick Orall and Organicall in consort or solitary whereby God is glorified both in private and in publick either by the skillfull or attentive Christians whose hearts are turned and framed after Gods own heart who are by this Heavenly way pleased into a Spirituall Holy Humble and calm Frame of Spirit and sweet meditations which are the usuall effects of good and grave Musick on sober and devout soules who in hearing or reading Psalmes Hymnes and Spirituall Songs in which the divine truth of the matter affects the enlightned judgement and the quieted Conscience by a close pleasant and heavenly virtue with the neerest Conformity to the holy minds and Spirits of those Sacred Writs inspired of God for the Composures of those holy Psalmodies 5. Neither was it the least recompence for the delay of that perfect state where Sin is quite removed Sorrow cast away Teares wiped from mens eyes to hope for that state of the Church wherein we might be kept regularly to mortifie the deeds of the body where we might have learned to swallow up our Sorrow with the graces of Patience and Joy our Fears with a Blessed Hope our wants with a foreseeing Faith our shame with a conquest over the World In a word enjoying by a gratious Gonverse a Heaven of happinesse in this vale of misery and an Eternall life in this shadow of Death 6. These and the like particulars made up that happinesse in the hope whereof I flattered my self to some comfort in my few dayes full of trouble The happinesse that we should all have to rejoyce with Jerusalem and be glad with her All we that loved her and to rejoyce for joy with all we that mourned for her A happinesse we thought unquestionable when our God who seemed to be angry but for a moment returned to embrace us with everlasting kindnesse When 1. assisted by his grace and blessing 2. countenanced with the presence and authority of a gratious Soveraign 3. furnished with an Incomparably Pious Prudent and Learned Clergy 4. befriended by Persons of true piety honour and prudence who excelled in virtue 5. provided for by just equal and exact Laws 6. supported with the effectuall fervent Prayer of devout Sons The Church in all probability was likely to recover her ancient life vigour beauty and glory 1. by the Spirit of God allaying animosities and softning the hearts of men to a peaceable and quiet frame 2. by the Prudence of man reconciling interests closing differences and filling up distances 3. by severe Laws rooting up those principles testraining and condemning those practiles that ruined us those Abominations that made desolate 4. by that cheerfull submission for Conscience sake which all men promised to his Majesties Government upon his miraculous Restauration with that Generall Applause and Joy when the Providence and hand of God restored Him whom they thought by the Providence and Hand of God excluded what could we have answered the Messengers of the Nations but that the Lord hath founded Sion and that the poor of his People should trust therein SECT II. BUt that we may be satisfied as nature informes reason dictates and our Faith instructs us in the vanity and vexation of Spirit that is written upon all things under the Snn That there is that disproportion in the worth that weaknesse in the nature that uncertainty in the being that shortnesse in the duration that deceitfullnesse as to all expectations from all things under Heaven that make them unworthy worthy of our hope unfit for our confidence and below our trust being subject to an uncertainty below and a Providence