Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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B08425
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Memorials of worthy persons (lights and ornaments of the Church of England.), the fourth decad. / by Cl. Barksdale.; Memorials of worthy persons. Decade 4
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Barksdale, Clement, 1609-1687.
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1663
(1663)
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Wing B802; ESTC R9168
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59,853
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156
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Dignitie his Majesty pleased to design me to his atâ—â—â—dance into Scotland where the great love and respect that I found both from the Ministers and people wâ—ought me no small envy from some of our own Suggestions were made to his Majesty of my plâ—usible demeâ—nour and doctrine to that already prejudicate people for which his Majesty after a gracious acknowledgment of my good service there done called me upon his return to a favorable and mild account not more freely professing what informations had been given against me then his own full satisfaction with my sincere and just answer as whose excellent wisdom well saw that such winning carriage of mine could be no hinderance to his great designs At the same time his Majesty having secret notice that a Letter was coming to me from Mr W. Struther a Reverend and Learned Divine of Edenborough concerning the five points then proposed and urged to the Church of Scotland was pleased to impose upon me an earnest charge to give him a full Answer to those modest Doubts and at large to declare my Judgment concerning those required Observations Which I spedily performed with so great approbation of his Majestie that it pleased him to command a transcript thereof as I was informed publickly read in their most famous University The effeâ—â— whereof his Majestie vouchsafed to signifie afterwards unto some of my best friends with allowance beyond my hopes 14. It was not long after that his Majestie finding the exigence of the Netherlandish Churches to require it both advised them to a Synodical Decision and by his incomparable wisdom promoted the work My unâ—orthinesse was named for one of the Assistants of that Honorable Grave and Reverent Meeting where I failed not of my best service of that woful distracted Church By that time I had staid two months there the unquietnesse of the nights in those Garrison Towns working upon the tender disposition of my body brought me to such weakness through want of rest that it began to disable me from attending the Synod Yet it pleased God the very night before I was to preach the Latin Sermon to the Synod to bestow upon me such a comfortable refreshing of sufficient sleep as whereby my spirits were revived and I was enabled with much vivacity to perform that Service But when notwithstanding all means my weaknesse encreased it pleased his gracious Majestie to call me off c. 15. After not many years settling at home it grieved my Soul to see our own Church sicken of the same disease which we had endeavoured to cure in our Neighbours Sides were taken and Pulpits every where rang of these opinions Now as one that desired to do all good offices to our dear and common Mother I set my thoughts on work how so dangerous a quarrel might be happily composed and wrote a little projest of Pacification gathering out of Bishop Overal on the one side and out of our English Divines at Dort on the other such common propositions concerning these five busie Articles as wherein both of them are fully agreed These reconciliatory papers were presented to his Majestie together with an humble motion of a peacesible silence to be enjoined to both parts in those other collateral needlesse Disputations These fell under the eyes of some grave Divines of both parts who pâ—oferd their hands to a ready subscription so as much peace promised to result out of that weak and poor enterprize had not the confused noise of the misconstructions of those who never saw the work crying it down for the very name sake meeting with the royal edict of a general Inhition buried it in a secure silence I was scorched a little with this flame which I deâ—ired to quench yet this could not stay my hand from thruâ—â—ing it self into a hotter fire 16. Some insolent Romanists pressed nothing so much as a Catalogue of the professions of our Religion to be deduced from the Primitive times and with the peremtory challenge of the impossibility of this pedigree dazled the eyes of the simple Whiles some of our learned men undertaking to satisfie so needlesse and unjust a demand gave as I conceive great advantage to the Adversary in a just indignation to see us thus wrongd by mistareing the Question betwixt us as if we yeelding our selves of another Church originally and fundamentally different should make good our own Eâ—ection upon the Ruines yea and Nullity of others and well considering the infinite and great inconveniences that must needs follow upon this defence I adventured to set my pen on work desiring to rectifie the opinions of those men whom an ignorant zeal had transported to the prejudice of our holy cause laying forth the damnable corruptions of the â—oman â—hurch yet making our Game at the outward visibilitie thereof and by this means putting them to the probation of those newly obtruded corruptions which are truly guilty of the breach betwixt us The drift whereof being not well conceived by some spirits that were not so wise as fervent I was suddenly exposed to the rash censures of many well affected and zealous Protestants as if a Remission to my wonted zeal to the truth attributed too much to the Roman Church and strengthned the Adversaries hands and weakned our own This envy I was fain to take off by my speedy Apologetical Advertisement and after that by my Reconcilor seâ—â—â—ded with the unanimous Letters of such Reverend Learned sound Divines both Bishops and Doctors as whose undoubtable Authority was able to bear down calumny it self Which done I did by a seasonable Moderation provide for the peace of the Church in silencing both my Defendants and Challengers in this unkind and ill-raised quarrel 17. Immediatly before the publishing of this Tractate which did not a little aggravate the envy and suspicion I was by his Majesty raised to be Bishop of Exeter having formerly with humble deprecation refused the See of Glocester earnestly proferd to me I entred upon that place not without much prejudice and suspicion on some hands For some that sate at the Stern of the Church had me in great jealousie for too much favour of Puritanisus I soon had intelligence who were set over me for Espials my waies were curiously observed and scanned However I took the resolution to follow those courses which might most conduce to the peace and happinesse of my neâ— and weighty charge Finding therefore some factious spirits very busie in that Diocesse I used all fair and gentle means to win them to good order and therein so happily prevailed that saving two of that numerous Clergy who continuing in their refractoâ—inesse fled away from censure they were all peâ—fectly reclaimed so as I had not one Minister professedly opposite to the antiently received Orders for I was never guilty of urging any neâ— impositions of the Church in that large Dioâ—ess 18. In the last year of presiding theâ—e after the Synodical Oath was set on foot which yet I did never