Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	holy_a	word_n	6,560	5	4.2187	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61586	Proposals tender'd to the consideration of both Houses of Parliament for uniting the Protestant interest for the present, and preventing divisions for the future together with the declaration of K. Charles II, concerning ecclesiastical affairs, and some proposals of terms of union between the Church of England and dissenters / long since published by the Reverend Dean of S. Pauls.	Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699.; Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685.; England and Wales. Sovereign (1660-1685 : Charles II). Declaration to all his loving subjects of his kingdom of England and dominion of Wales concerning ecclesiastical affairs.	1689 (1689)	Wing S5621; ESTC R8098	25,861	37

to put an end to our present Differences and to Unite us for the future that so we may become a flourishing Nation free from the Factions and Divisions of former Ages Proposals for our present Vniting 1. I Humbly propose that the Ceremonies at present enjoyned by Law might be left to the liberty of the Clergy to use or lay aside and that because the Dissenters on the one hand are perswaded that their conformity to them would be sinful and the Church of England on the other hand hath declared at several times that they are things indifferent and may be changed Upon our first Reformation in the account she hath given of Ceremonies why some be abolished and some retained She saith thus That as those Ceremonies were taken away which were most abused and did burthen Mens Consciences without any cause so the other that remain are retained for Discipline and Order which upon just causes may be altered and changed Again since his Majesties Restauration in her Preface to the Common-Prayer are these Words That the particular Forms of Divine Worship and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used being things in their own Nature indifferent and alterable and so acknowledged it is but reasonable that upon weighty and important Considerations according to the various exigency of times and occasions such changes should be made therein as to those that are in place of Authority should from time to time seem either necessary or expedient Accordingly we find that in the Reigns of several Princes of Blessed Memory since the Reformation the Church upon just and weighty Considerations her thereunto moving hath yielded to make such Alterations in some some particulars as in their respective times were thought convenient Thus far the Church of England And of late I find that a very eminent Member thereof the Reverend Dean of Canterbury hath aequainted us in a publick Sermon Preached by him at the Yorkshire-Feast That though it was not for private Persons to undertake in matters of publick concernment yet he thought he had no cause to doubt but the Governours of our Church notwithstanding all the advantages of Authority and Reason too as they thought on their side were Persons of that Piety and Prudence that for Peace sake and in order to a firm Vnion amongst Protestants they would be content if that would do it not to insist upon little things but to yield them up whether to the infirmity or importunity or perhaps in some very few things to the plausible exceptions of those who differed from them The Reverend Dr. Sherlock in a Sermon lately preached before the Lord Mayor hath likewise most charitably and piously declared his Thoughts about these matters of difference in the following Words We have reason to hope that the Church of England which at the beginning of the Reformation took such prudent Care not to offend the Papists going farther from them than was necessary will whenever it is likely to do good condescend a great deal farther than it is necessary to reform to meet the Dissenter for while the external decency gravity and solemnity of Worship is secured no wise and good Man will think much to change a changeable Ceremony when it will heal the Breaches and Divisions of the Church And let us all heartily pray to God that there may be this good and peaceable disposition of Mind in all Conformists and Non-conformists towards a happy re-union and all considering Men will think it time to lay aside such little Disputes when it is not meerly the Church of England nor any particular Sect of Protestants whose Ruin is aimed at but the whole Protestant Faith. And as a farther Confirmation of the readiness not only of our Divines but of the Fathers of our Church to incourage so glorious a Work His Grace of Canterbury and the rest of the petitioning Bishops did in their famous Petition for which they were sent Prisoners to the Tower assure his Majesty That they did not refuse to distribute and publish his Declaration for Liberty of Conscience from any want of due Tenderness to Dissenters in relation to whom they were willing to come to such a Temper as should be thought fit when that Matter should be considered and setled in Parliament and Convocation And not long after another company of Bishops who were sent for by the late King Iames to give him their Advice in in several important Affairs of the Nation among other things proposed That a Free Parliament should establish a due Liberty of Conscience The Archbishop of Canterbury was to earnest to promote this so Christian Design that among those admirable Articles recommended by his Grace to all the Bishops within his Province which were to be more fully insisted upon in their Addresses to the Clergy and People of their respective Diocesses this was one That they also walk in Wisdom towards those that are not of our Communion And if there be in their Parishes any such that they neglect not frequently to confer with them in the Spirit of Meekness seeking by all good Ways and Means to gain and win them over to our Communion More especially that they have a very tender Regard to our Brethren the Protestant Dissenters that upon occasion offered they visit them at their Houses and receive them kindly at their own and treat them fairly wherever they meet them perswading them if it may be to a full compliance with our Church or at least that whereunto we have already attained we may all walk by the same Rule and mind the same thing And in order hereunto that they take all Opportunities of Assuring and Convincing them that the Bishops of this Church are really and sincerely irreconcilable to the Errors Superstitions Idolatries and Tyrannies of the Church of Rome And that they warmly and most affectionately exhort them to joyn with us in Daily Fervent Prayer to the God of Peace for an Vniversal Blessed Vnion of all the Reformed Churches both at home and abroad against our common Enemies and that all they who do confess the Holy Name of our Dear Lord and do agree in the Truth of his Holy Word may also meet in one Holy Communion and live in perfect Vnity and Godly Love. Now seeing the Church of England once and again declared her excellent temper and moderation for the preservation of Peace and Unity the great end and design of all Church-government we have little reason to question her readiness at such a time as this is to comply with so modest a Proposal as a liberty of using or refusing those Ceremonies which she saith In their own nature are indifferent and alterable and upon weighty and important considerations may be changed c. or to grant her consent to such a Subscription in relation to those Articles which concern the Government and Discipline of the Church as are proposed by the Learned Dean of S. Paul's in the Appendix especially considering that by

all thoughts of Victory are laid aside the humble and necessary thoughts for the Vindication of Truth cannot be enough entertained We must for the honour of all those of either perswasion with whom We have conferred declare That the Professions and Desires of all for the advancement of Piety and true Godliness are the same their professions of Zeal for the Peace of the Church the same of Affection and Duty to Us the same They all approve Episcopacy They all approve a set form of Liturgy and they all disprove and dislike the sin of Sacriledge and the alienation of the Revenue of the Church And if upon these excellent Foundations in submission to which there is such a harmony of Affections any Superstructures should be raised to the shaking those Foundations and to the contracting and lessening the blessed gift of Charity which is a vital part of Christian Religion We shall think Our Self very unfortunate and even suspect that We are defective in that administration of Government with which God hath entrusted Us. We need not profess the high Affection and Esteem we have for the Church of England as it is established by Law the Reverence to which hath supported us with Gods Blessing against many temptations nor do We think that Reverence in the least degree diminished by Our Condescentions not peremptorily to insist on some particulars of Ceremony which however introduced by the Piety and Devotion and Order of former times may not be so agreeable to the present but may even lessen that Piety and Devotion for the improvement whereof they might happily be first introduced and consequently may well be dispensed with and We hope this charitable compliance of Ours will dispose the Minds of all Men to a chearful submission to that Authority the preservation whereof is so necessary for the Unity and Peace of the Church and that they will acknowledge the support of the Episcopal Authority to be the best support of Religion by being the best means to contain the Minds of Men within the Rules of Government And they who would restrain the exercise of that holy Function within the Rules which were observed in the Primitive times must remember and consider that the Ecclesiastical Power being in those blessed times always subordinate and subject to the Civil it was likewise proportioned to such an extent of Jurisdiction as was most agreeable to that And as the Sanctity and Simplicity and Resignation of that Age did then refer many things to the Bishops which the policy of succeeding Ages would not admit at least did otherwise provide for so it can be no reproach to Primitive Episcopacy if where there have been great alterations in the Civil Government from what was then there have been likewise some difference and alteration in the Ecclesiastical the Essence and Foundation being still preserved And upon this ground without taking upon Us to censure the Government of the Church in other Countries where the Government of the State is different from what it is here or enlarging Our Self upon the Reasons why whilst there was an Imagination of erecting a Democratical Government here in the State they should be willing to continue an Aristocratical Government in the Church It shall suffice to say that since by the wonderful Blessing of God the Hearts of this whole Nation are returned to an obedience to Monarchick Government in the State it must be very reasonable to support that Government in the Church which is established by Law and with which the Monarchy hath flourished through so many Ages and which is in truth as ancient in this Island as the Christian Monarchy thereof and which hath always in some respects or degrees been enlarged or restrained as hath been thought most conducing to the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom and therefore We have not the least doubt but that the present Bishops will think the present Concessions now made by Us to allay the present Distempers very just and reasonable and will very chearfully conform themselves thereunto 1. We do in the first place Declare Our purpose and Resolution is and shall be to promote the Power of Godliness to encourage the exercises of Religion both publick and private and to take care that the Lord's Day be applied to holy Exercises without unnecessary divertisments and that insufficient negligent and scandalous Ministers be not permitted in the Church And that as the present Bishops are known to be Men of great and exemplar Piety in their Lives which they have manifested in their notorious and unexampled Sufferings during these late Distempers and of great and known sufficiency of Learning so We shall take special Care by the assistance of God to prefer no Men to that Office and Charge but Men of Learning Vertue and Piety who may be themselves the best examples to those who are to be Governed by them And We shall expect and provide the best We can that the Bishops be frequent Preachers and that they do very often Preach themselves in some Church of their Diocess except they be hindred by Sickness or other bodily Infirmities or some other justifiable occasion which shall not be thought justifiable if it be requent 2. Because the Diocesses especially some of them are thought to be of too large extent We will appoint such a Number of Suffragan Bishops in every Diocess as shall be sufficient for the due performance of their work 3. No Bishop shall Ordain or exercise any part of Jurisdiction which appertains to the Censures of the Church without the advice and assistance of the Presbyters And no Chancellors Commissaries or Officials as such shall exercise any Act of Spiritual Jurisdiction in these cases viz. Excommunication Absolution or wherein any of the Ministry are concerned with reference to their Pastoral charge However Our intent and meaning is to uphold and maintein the Profession of the Civil Law so far and in such matters as it hath been of use and practice within Our Kingdoms and Dominions Albeit as to Excommunication Our Will and Pleasure is that no Chancellor Commissary or Official shall Decree any Sentence of Excommunication or Absolution or be Judges in those things wherein any of the Ministry are concerned as is aforesaid Nor shall the Arch-Deacon exercise any Jurisdiction without the advice and assistance of six Ministers of his Arch-Deaconcy whereof three to be nominated by the Bishop and three by the election of the major part of the Presbyters within the Arch-Deaconry 4. To the end that the Deans and Chapters may be the better fitted to afford Counsel and Assistance to the Bishops both in Ordination and the other Offices mentioned before We will take care that those Preferments be given to the most Learned and Pious Presbyters of the Diocess And moreover that an equal number to those of the Chapter of the most learned pious and discreet Presbyters of the same Diocess annually chosen by the major vote of all the Presbyters of that Diocess