Selected quad for the lemma: love_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A55112
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The Plea of the harmless oppressed, against the cruel oppressor
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Halifax, George Savile, Marquis of, 1633-1695. A letter to a dissenter.
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1688
(1688)
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Wing P2525; ESTC R31914
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14,529
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24
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was then pleased to give forth a Declaration against it expressing that hâ— was ashamed of their Drinking of Healths and other looseness or to that effect And now these Men would throw all the Dirt they can upon Dissenters and wipe their Mouthes as if the Church of England were the only spotless Assembly there 's an Eye open that sees them and how consciencious sober Men have Suffered by them many of the Goals in this Kingdom are witnesses thereof many others Particulars may be taken notice of in these Orders worthy of observation wherein that Spirit is manifested that under the profession of Zeal for God the Honour of the King and the Preservation of the Established Religion as they say have Persecuted and Ruined many Soâ—er Coâ—scious and Industrious Families and People and the Bishop highly applauds these Orders and gives order for the reading of them by the Clergy of his Diocess in their Parish Churches and subscribes to it Tho. Exon. And because the Author of the said Letter to Dissenters saith If you had now to do with those ridged Prelates c. I will give one instance more as before hinted of a Prelate now or very lately in being A certain Prelate acting as a Justice of the Peace with some other Justices convicted a Meeting of Dissenters twelve Miles from their Homes on the Oathes of two credible Witnesses as they say one of which not long after was convicted for Perjury and stood in the Pillory for the same Seven of these Dissenters coming before the said Prelate or Bishop and because it was so far from their Homes borrowed each of them a Horse or Mare to ride being fined Three Pounds a piece they were all kept Prisoners in the Bishops Palace until about seven at Night it being in February and in the mean time all their Horses taken away tho not their own nor either of the Owners at the Meeting and sold or conveyed them away the Horses were worth Thirty two Pounds Ten Shillings the Owner of one of them redeemed his Mare for Seven Pound and it being alledged that the seven Horses were not sufficient to pay the Fine they ordered them to be had to an Inn and strip of their Cloaths it being dark about seven at Night One of the Dissenters when they were come into the Street said They would not go into an Inn but if they would strip them they should do it in the Street and there made a stand and a Concourse of People coming about them and they declaring their unchristian dealing with them the Executioners were almost ashamed and left the Prisoners the Townsmen standing by them and promised not one Cloath should be taken from them and so they returned with the loss of the seven Horses Now what the Author of the Letter accounts ridgedness is a Question if these Actions do not render these Men ridged Prelates let Men of Moderation judg many other particulars of Cruelty may be instanced that Men of Civility and Humanity would even blush to hear of acted by force of those Laws utterly contrary to Christianity and Humanity by Church of England-Men upon the Dissenters which these Devonshire Men in one of their Orders do account the open Enemies to all the common principles of Society and Humanity it self and now let the rightâ—ous just God judge between us if Principles may be judged by Aâ—tioâ—s who are the greatest Enemies to common principles of Society and Humanity and if these Church Men do intend what they say what Conscientious Man can â—â—joy a being amongst them wiâ—hout Conformitâ— to their Oâ—ders They further say in theiâ— Order of the twenty fifth of April 1682. Having found the good effects of the Order and Resâ—lutions agreed on last Sessions for the putting the Laws in Execution against Dissâ—nters it having wrought so great a Reformation and in those parts where it was observed reduced most of those wandering People into the Bosom of their Mother Church which they had undutifully forsaken wâ— are incouraged and resolved chearfully to proceed in the Method we have begun But the Everlasting Almighty God hath beheld you and heard the Cry of many poor Widows and Fatherless who have been crush'd by your oppressive Laws and cruel Exâ—â—câ—tioners aâ—d put a stop to your Carriere and at present put a limit to your Power for his Name sake and Elects sake But now let me a little inquire into the good effect of your Orders and Resolutions the great Reformation wroâ—ght â—hâ—re 〈◊〉 you saâ— You have reduced many wandering People inâ—o the Bosâ—â—â—f their Mother Church c. your mâ—aning is they coâ—e to 〈◊〉 but are they converted conscientioâ—slâ— to come there 〈…〉 come only for fear of your â—ruel â—nâ—entâ—ons to put th◠〈◊〉 Excecuâ—ion upon them doubtless on the lâ—â—ter Accoâ—nt 〈…〉 they are but Proselites or Hypocriteâ— seems sâ—ch Members 〈◊〉 wel with your Church but whaâ— Beneâ—â—â— or â—ewaâ—d are â—ou lâ—ke to have from God or Man thus to make Pâ—oâ—â—lites or Hâ—pocrites how many poor Souls havâ— you by your cruel Laws anâ— Excecutioneâ—s made to violate their Consciences and make shipwrack of Faith I think the present thinness of your Assemâ—liâ—s may by this time convince you that you made but Hypocrites iâ—stâ—ad of Converts consider seriously was it ever the Practice or Order of Christ or his Apostles thus to force People to the Woâ—ship which he set up and they practiced was it not theiâ— way to convince by a holy and humble Life and Conversation and sound Doctrine If you Object There were then no Christian Magistrates I answer If Christ Iesus had seen need of them for his Work he could have Called and Converted them but his way was to intreat and perswade by Love and not to compel by Force And now O that you had Hearts to understand Eyes to see and Ears to hear for the Violence and Oppression done by you to many of the Lords People and Repent of your Doings for God hath heard the Cry of the Oppressed and is risen for their Deliverance and do not strive to uphold those Laws which God will remove and be still and quiet least you be found Fighters against God and the Lord break you to pieces For what ever your Imaginations are that God that hath the Hearts of Kings in his Hand hath put it into the Heart of our King to relieve many of the Lords Oppressed People break the Yoak of the Oppressor and the Lord will stand by him in this Work and overthrow the Attempts and confound the Counsels of them that oppose him many hath been the eminent Deliverances and Preservations the Lord hath afforded him and who knows but that he hath reserved and brought him to the Crown for this very purpose for the Work is the Lordâ— that he hath begun its very acceptable to him and what Peace and Quietness â—ath his Subjects enjoyed under his Government only some that disturb themselves with their own Fears because