Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
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A41391
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Good advice to all the free-holders and corporations of England concerning the choice of their representatives to serve the ensuing parliament.
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1690
(1690)
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Wing G1032; ESTC R30417
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9,633
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10
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we find declared in the Reasons of the Judgment that such words were spoken with an intent to withdraw the Affections of the People from the King and to excite them against him that in the end they might rise up against him in mortem Destructionem of the King Several Cases hereof might be produced to shew that in all of them the Treason was for words only words by private persons and in a more private manner but once spoken and no more But I forbear I would rather heal than exasperate Only this Note I would leave to the Consideration of such as have thought it unlawful to take the New Oaths that through the whole Series of our Kings it hath often happened that Ground sufficient hath been given to question the Right of their Succession and in the Cases of Edward the 2d and Richard the 2d the lawfuiness of their Deposition and yet no scruple ever was made of taking an Oath of Allegiance to the King who had possession of the Government Nor do I remember that ever the Bishop of Carlisle refused the Oath of Allegiance But I come now to tell you who I think are the Men that would be fit for you to fix your thoughts upon for Members to serve you in this approaching Parliament and whom you may have very great Reason to reject and therefore I desire you seriously to weigh these following Particulars 1. If you have any regard to God's Providence in giving you so great and miraculous Deliverance when as a late Author has truly observed you saw your selves upon the brink of Ruin your Rights and Liberties Invaded Last Y ars Transactions Vindicated pag. 3. your Religion within an Ace of being overturned your Laws and Constitution renversed the whole Scheme of your Ancient Government unhinged and to compleat your Misery you saw ne probable way of Escape I say if you have any regard to this stupendious mercy of Divine Providence take especial care that you chuse such as you know have full Zeal and Affection for him who under God hath been the Glorious Instrument of your Deliverance such who will to the utmost of their Abilities be ready to express their Gratitude to his Majesty for so Great and Generous an Vdertaking which was no less necessary for the Support of the Protestant Interest in Europe than for the recovering and maintaining the Civil Rights and Liberties of these Nations Lords and Commons Address to the King 5. Mar. 89. so notoriously invaded and undermined and who will unanimously declare that they will stand by and assist their Majesties with their Lives and Fortunes in supporting their Alliances abroad and in defence of the Protestant Religion and Laws of the Kingdom Such as there will bring their own Recommendations with them they will come full fraught with Affections for the Publick Good and will not carry on a Separate Interest between the King and People for they know that the Good of One is the Good of Both so that the King will think Himself safe in their Councils they will be highly honoured in his Considence in them and nothing can lay so sure a Foundation of a Good Agreement between the King and his People in Parliament Kings Answer to the Address as such a MUTUAL TRUST The Constitution of this Kingdom is the most happy that Humane Prudence can invent the Ancient Government is as Temperate as the Climate we live in therefore from the sence of the Miserable Desolations which have of late been made upon almost every thing we accounted dear and valuable to us we have all the Motives and are under all the Obligations that can be to secure now and advance the Interest of this most Excellent Constitution And who can you think more capable of procuring this Happiness to the Nation than such who have a just and due sence of this Wonderful Deliverance and a becoming Zeal and Affection for the only Person under Heaven that could and hath through the Divine Benignity wrought this Salvation for us He came by his Power to defend Vs from our Enemies and by his Justice to give Vs the Full Enjoyment of our Lates and Liberties 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 kâ—â—â—'s Speech 12. 〈◊〉 1689. and which is the Inestimable Blessing of all by his continual care to maintain the Protestant Religion to us These will come with Hearts full charged with Gratitude to him with sixed Resolutions to give Him all the Assistances his necessary Engagements may require and with Consciences faithful to the Interests of those Counties Cities and Boroughs for which they serve and strict in the due performance of all their Obligations Thus will there be a Blessed harmony between the Head and the Members These will with great Wisdom consult how to restore that Happiness which you have been so long deprived of and we are assured that the King will concur in every thing that may procure the Peace and Happiness of the Nation which so free and lawful a Parliament shall determine Prince's Declaration Hereby you will be put into so good a Settlement as will mightily conduce to the Disappointment of our Enemies both abroad and at home But if any of you should be prevailed with upon any pretence whatsoever to make choice of other persons you must not think it strange if it should be looked upon as a manifest Testimony of your Disaffection to their present Majesties 2dly That you may the more expect the Blessing of God to attend your Choice see that you pitch upon Men of Religious Principles I mean of the Church of England as by Law Established You need not doubt but those will act well for your Interest that have the true fear of God and a due sence of Religion in their Minds They are the Men that dare not be Distoyal as the word truly signifies to the King nor the Government These are they that will shew most Zeal to maintain the pure Religion of the Church of England The Montrchy and the Church will be secure in them These having a true sense of the Goodness of Almighty God to themselves in setling such a happy Constitution here as is mot agreeable to their own Consciences will not be without a due sense of the Right of all Mankind to the Liberty of their Consciences and therefore will allow other Men the same freedom whose Principles are not destructive to the Peace of the Government Says a Great and Reverend Prelate that now is some nine years since in a Sermon he Preached before the Aldermen of London Some have thought they could not be esteemed Loyal if they appeared Devout Dr. Burne's 30. Jan. 81. pag. 10 and therefore to purchase the one Character were willing not only to throw off but openly to reproach the other all they could What ill effects this hath had how the Nation has been much corrupted by these Maxims and God highly offended is so obvious to every Man's Observation that
I need dwell no longer on it Set not therefore your Choice on any that are Dissolute and Prophane you can have no solid ground to believe that such are like to do you good let their loud pretences be what they will of being True to the King and the Church and let them damn as they please all others that are not as Irreligious and Profligate as themselves for Rogues and Rascalls of Commonwealth Principles 't is no matter what they bawl I 'm sure they are not to be trusted in this Government * Dr. Fâ—mâ—eâ—'â— Serm. before the Judges at Glâ—uc Assize 7 Aug. 1681. 1.29 Ibid. There have been God knows says a very Eminent Divine of our Church too too many Debauchees in the Nation who would be thought Great Champions for the King and the Church that have done infinite prejudice to both by the mad and Frantick Expressions of their Zeal who have done mighty Honour to Fanaticism by charging all with it that have not run with them to the same Excess of Riot One would think that these whatsover they pretended did really design nothing more than to make both the King and the Church as Friendless as they were able Ibid. I wonder in my heart says he what should make any debauched person pretend the least Zeal for the Church of England that heretofore would never allow themselves they were such hot-spurs the leisure to think a wise or sedate thought But a deep sense of true Religion sixeth men to certain Principles which any Government or People may safely relye on The Thrones of Princes are established by Righteousness and the People will think themselves as happy in a chearful Submission to their Government as they are in its Fundamental Constitution and laws 3ly In the next place it is my Opinion that you should fix your Eyes upon such men as you verily believe will labour most to unite the Affections of the People for herein doth the strength of the Government consist together with Religion and a well-directed Conscience A Mutual Trust and Confidence is a great strength in time of Common danger When we are distracted in Affections we shall be distracted in Reason and Council and when we are so then is the time for our Enemies to * Letter to a Bishop 〈◊〉 15. have their ends of us Pick out therefore such Persons to be your Representatives that are of Large and Catholick Principles that will be kind to all Men pitiful and courteous and that will love their Neighbours as Themselves Dr. Tiâ—â—â—â—â—â—'s Sermon 〈◊〉 15. This is that which is the most real and substantial the most large and expensive the most useful and beneficial the most humane and the most divine Quality of which we are capable as a very Learned and Reverend Divine hath admirably observed Such will tolerate the Tolerable bear with the Weak encourage the Conscientious and restrain none but those who will do whatsoever they can to restrain all besides themselves This would be a Door opened for all Protestants to enter into a mutual good understanding one with another and to concur together in the preserving of their Religion so that it would not be possible for the Papists hereafter to compass any of their wicked Ends against them 4thly Next to these let me advise you to make choice of such as be Men of Temper and Moderation We are all sure that the Enemies of Moderation have been the Enemies of our Government and Peace which is built upon it and kept together by it A Moderation of Elements and Humours makes the best Constitution of Bâ—dies Moderation of Passions gives the best Temper of Soul keeping the Midst between Excess and Defect Consider The Moderate Man stands in no Man's way that climbs for Preferment envies no Man in it justles no Man out of it he modestly refuseth what others ambitiously seek and soberly useth what others abuse Ambition makes him neither Head of a Faction nor Emulation to follow a Party Bestow your Votes on such as I now perswade you to for they are the most likely to remove all the Unhappy Causes of Discord and Division from among us and are the fittest Men in the World to set things right that are amiss and to keep things right that are so and by their calm and sober Councils to settle these Kingdoms upon the sure and lasting Foundations of Peace and Happiness to this and future Generations 5thly Choose Men of Plentiful Substance and Estate the greater Stake they have in the Hedge of their own the more careful they will be to preserve yours Whereas Indigent Persons that possibly may be recommended to you by those who are your Secret Enemies will lye under a Powerful Temptation of Sacrificing You and the Nation to gain their own private Ends upon both But when I say you ought to choose the Rich and the Wealthy my meaning is not that any one who is so is a proper Object of your Choice but where you can that you should fix upon Persons of Credit and Reputation in the places of their Birth or long Habitation and where their Fortunes lye For you must needs think that These whom you know where they are to be found will be more tender of the Common good and welfare of their Friends Relations and Neighbours than Strangers creeping in at the back Doors of vast Expence and Purchase to gratifie their own Ambition Those that shew themselves so profusely liberal in treating your Corporations you have great reason to suspect of having some sinister Ends and Designs upon you For is it likely that They who buy your Votes so dearly will not endeavour to sell your Liberties with interest to themselves Such sort of Ambitus by the Calpurnian Law among the Romans was punished by heavy Fine on the Canvasser besides that he was afterwards render'd uncapable of being Elected into a Senator's place And the same Law was also after that ratified by the Senate in the Consulship of Tullius and Antonius And by the Tullian Law the Commonaly themselves offending in that point were also most severely punished beside that the Canvassers were to suffer Ten years Exilement But if Needy Corporations will sell their Rights and surrender the Fortress of wholsome Liberties to Philip of Macedon's laden Mules they must as Esau did then blame their own Hunger after the amiable Pottage 6ly Choose Men of competent year these will not easily be imposed upon to hurt you they will consider all Circumstances and weigh every thing impartially and will throughly understand the project of Bills before they consent to have them Laws and will not be over-forward to give up that Property and Liberty which your Ancestors have so strongly secured to you by wise and provident Laws and purchased with so much Blood and Treasure But if you should choose Raw Saplings green Heads Vnexperienced Children the World will judg of you as they once did of the Grecians that you