Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A54167
|
A letter form [sic] a gentleman in the country to his friends in London upon the subject at penal laws and texts
|
Penn, William, 1644-1718.
|
1687
(1687)
|
Wing P1318A; ESTC R33339
|
4,655
|
14
|
tell us and that is the true reason and not Popery that she is tender in the point I conclude then that whilst those of that Religion only desire to be upon the Level with others I mean upon Native Rights the Great Charter what we all of us call our Birth-right let us not refuse it lest God suffer them to prevail to curb our partiallity There are Laws enough to punish Offenders against the State if these were repealed and not condemn People by Anticipation That Law which catches a Protestant will catch a Papish Traytor Riotor or seditious Person Again let us reflect that we have a Prince of Age and more honour the prospect of three excellent Princes of the Protestant Religion the paucity of the Papists the number of the Enemies of their Commnion their unity in that aversion what greater security can we have in the World Policy Honour Religion Number Vnity ay Necessity too conspire to make us safe for all these are concerned in the means of our preservation unless our fears and our follies should prevail which I confess I apprehend most for they will be deserted of God that forsake him and themselves too who dare do a certain evil that a supposed good may come of it contradict their own Principles deny what they expect sow what they would not reap do to others what they would not that others should do to them But there is a God in Heaven and he is just He will meet to us what we measure to one another and his Judgment is inevitable I therefore advise the Church of England to be as ready in her Christian complyances as is possible First because it is impious to keep up distroying Laws for Religion when her Saviour tells her upon this very Question That he came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Secondly Because by this she will wipe off rhe Reproach she throws by continuing them upon her own Apologies for Liberty of Conscience when under the wheel of Power Thirdly Because Liberty to the Papists by Law is bringing them into the legal interest of the Kingdom and will prevent the force they may else be driven to by being made and left desperate For ' its not to be thought they will willingly pay the reckoning in another Reign if by any means they can prevent it and keeping up the penal Laws can be no security to the Church of England from such attempts though they may provoke them upon her Fourthly She hereby saves her dissenters and if it be really her inclination to do so she has no other way and this unites them to her in affection and interest if not in Worship But if on the contrary she persists obstinately to refuse this national paciffick the dissenters I hope will consider their honest Interest Conscience and Property and imbrace those oppertunities to secure them that God in his all-wise providence is pleased to yield them in this conjuncture Thus Gentlemen you have my thoughts upon your News pray communicate them to our acquantance and believe that I am Yours c. POST-SCRIPT FOr the Tests that are so much discoursed of I shall only say that 't is an other mystery of the Times to me how the Church of England that was against the Exclusion can be for them that were design'd for a Preamble to it since in so doing she is for that which was contrived to introduce the Exclusion she was so Zealously against I confess I never understood her very well and she grows more and more unintelligible but this I know that she must either be sorry for what she has done or she did not know what she did The first reflects upon her Loyalty the last upon her understanding and because I think that the least and likeliest evil I conclude she is no infallible Guide upon the Question Another thing you tell me that gives great offence is his Majesties turning out Protestants and putting in People of his Religion This I conceive a fault that the Church of England is only answerable for Other Princes have been so unhappy as to Suffer Tests and Marks of distinction that have broken and disorder'd their Kingdoms by depriving those of their Temporal comforts that would not receive them and this People esteemed a mighty grievance and were frequent and elegant in their complaints about it We have a King now that would remove these Marks of distinction and secure all men upon their native Right and Bottom That all Parties might sit safely under their own Vine and under their own Fig-tree so that now who is for Liberty becomes the Test Are they then fit to be trusted that are out of his Interest and against the Liberty he is for and the Nation wants and craves Or is it good sense that he who is mortal as well as other men should leave the Power in those hands that to his face show their aversion to the Friends of his Communion tho he offers to maintain her still She had the offer to keep them upon that Principle that must heal and save the Kingdom Liberty of Conscience which shows the King was willing to be served by her sons to chuse if upon the same general Principle with himself wherefore 't is the Gentlemen of the Church of England that turn themselves out of power rather then endure Liberty of Conscience to others and shall this Vice be their Vertue They must be heartily in love with persecution that can sacrifice their Places to the upholding of penal Laws for Religion because they would not let others not only not come in but not live at their own Charges A fine thing to suffer for Their Ancestors were Martyers by penal Laws but these for them The cause is chang'd whatever they think and I am afraid they are chang'd too for want of thinking I Profess I pitty them with all my Heart and wish them more Wit and better Consciences against next time if ever they have it for these if they will believe me will hardly ever make so good a Bargin for them as they have lost by them More of this if you like it next time and till then Adieu FINIS