Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
religion_n apostle_n church_n doctrine_n 4,033 5 6.2595 4 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A60816 Some observations upon the tickling querie (viz.) whether the admitting of a popish successor be the best way to preserve the Protestant religion, with other passages touching the history of the succession and other pamphlets / by a gentleman in the countrey to his friend in London. Gentleman in the countrey. 1681 (1681) Wing S4542; ESTC R17822 8,836 10

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

first give me leave to say thus much to this and all other Queries of this nature First That the Protestant Religion of the Church of England Teaches us no other Doctrine than what was Taught by the Apostles themselves that is Obedience and Submission to Kings and Governours and that not because they are of this or that Religion or Persuasion as they now term it but purely and abstractedly for Conscience Sake It is the Ordinance of God and he that resisteth shall receive to himself Damnation Next That we ought continually to bless God for and earnestly pray for the long Life of our most Gracious Sovereign never one more truly termed the Light of our Eyes and the Breath of our Nostrils and then these captious Queries are needless of themselves But if it should please God to change the Scene and send us a King of another Temper I am sure that then the best way to preserve the Protestant Religion is to be of the same mind still that is to Fear God and Honour the King and we need not fear but that the God whom we serve who hath the hearts of Kings in his hands will so order things that by our peaceable Conversation in such a juncture most of those dismal apprehensions we are terrified with will blow over or if it should prove a storm it will be either not violent or not long And this is so peculiarly the Doctrine of the Church of England that I think I may Challenge all the Churches of the several persuasions in the World to say and prove they hold this Doctrine for certainly if it were so Those desperate Tenents of Murdering of Princes c. would never have been heard of in the World And whether the Jesuit or the Presbyter be most guilty in that particular both in Doctrine and Practice would be a subject too long and too odious for to be comprehended within the compass of a Letter To conclude then this great Case and answer this curious Querie as positively as I can I shall be bold to affirm That if Almighty God in his Providence should please to send us a Popish Prince The best way to preserve the Protestant Religion in the Purity of her Doctrine is not only to admit him but submit to his just Authority in all his Lawful Commands We know no Arms but those of the old Christian Martyrs Prayers and Tears We are alwaies ready to Fight for never against our Prince We fear Hell more than Smithfield And assuredly if the Princes of the World would impartially weigh the Purity and Simplicity of the Doctrines of the Church of England the Innocency and Decency of her Ceremonies the Regularity and Decorum in her Offices and Administrations the Integrity and Candour of her Principles and Manners they would not only conclude her to be the best Transcript of the Original Copy of Primitive Christianity that is left in the World but the best security to Establish the Thrones of Kings and the best Rule for Subjects to learn and practise that due Obedience they owe to Governours Oh! that I could add That the Lives of her Professors were answerable to the Doctrines and Principles of their Profession For 't is such a Paradox as well as Burthen of Spirit to all True Sober Protestants to observe that generally those that walk most strictly in their Lives and pretend to have a degree of Sanctity and Holiness above other Men they have no proportion of Submission and Deference to their Lawful Superiors both in Church and State with other Men of less Sanctity or Parts Whilst on the other side those that pretend to have the greatest Loyalty for their Prince and Obedience to all in Authority under him do commonly give themselves too great a Liberty in their outward Conversation and Indulge themselves too much in their sensual enjoyments to the reciprocal scandal one of another for whilst one side takes advantage and says Look what Lives these Loyalists lead the other returns Observe what Principles these Zealots hold thereby encouraging and hardning each other in their half-Christianity And without peradventure it will never be well till one side adorns his Loyalty with a Holy-Life and the other crowns his Zeal with Loyalty and Obedience Then should we be the happiest People alive under whatever Dispensations of Providence we may possibly fall Thus begging your pardon for troubling you with our Country Conceptions We kiss your hands and remain Your Faithful Servants c. THE END