Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
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A61170
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The Bishop of Rochester's second letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Dorset and Middlesex Lord Chamberlain of His Majesty's household
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Sprat, Thomas, 1635-1713.
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1689
(1689)
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Wing S5049; ESTC R15013
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15,012
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68
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we hold in Both. If your Lordship's Leisure would permit me to look farther back and to recount what was Written Acted or Suffered by the Members of the Church of England in general during that Reign 't were easie to recollect so many Memorable Instances of unshaken Truth and Courage in the Nobility Gentry Clergy and Commonalty of our Communion in maintaining our Religion against Rome and our Laws against unlimited Power as might well furnish sufficient Materials for an ample Relation I know it was formerly a popular Objection of divers misguided Dissenters from the Church of England that our Principles were too Monarchical and that we carried the Doctrine of Obedience farther than might be consistent with the safety of a Protestant Church or the Privileges of a free-born People But it is now to be hoped that the strongest Argument of all others which is Experience from undoubted Matter of Fact has put this Objection for ever out of Countenance Since it is undeniable that during that whole time when our Civil and Spiritual Liberties were in so much Danger the greatest and most considerable stop that was here put to the Arts of Rome and Intrigues of France was Put by the steddy Resolution of the true Sons of the Church of England I pretend not to upbraid any Party or Sect among us for any undue Compliance in that Time. But this I will Assert that generally Speaking the whole Body of the Church of England both Laity and Clergy did not Comply Nay it were Infinite to reckon up the Examples we then saw every Day of Men of all Conditions from the highest to the lowest All Members of the Church of England who preferred the saving of the Establisht Government in Church and State before any Temptations of private Profit or Interest Not to say any thing more of the Learned and Unanswerable Writings of that time against Popery For in that Merit I suppose none of any other Persuation will enter into any Competition with the Orthodox Clergy But I now only Speak of those many Honourable Self-Denials which the Church of England-Men then Practised for the Sake of the true English Liberty and Reformation What Officers and Commanders were there almost in the whole Army besides the Sons of the Church of England who chose to be Discarded from those very Troops and Regiments which their own Interest and Money had raised rather than contribute to take away the great Fences of our Liberty and Religion What Officers in the Courts of Justice and in the several Branches of the Revenue What Members of Boroughs Corporations and Cities in Comparison of those of the Church of England endured the loss of their Places of Trust and Profit for not Consenting to Abolish the Tests and Penal Laws against Papists What eminent Nobility and Gentry in all Counties submitted chearfully to be flighted and deprived of all Authority and Power among their Neighbours in Peace or War Were they not generally and almost to a Man of the Church of England Was not a considerable Part of the Court it self turn'd out Did not divers Persons of the highest Titles and Dignities there endure to lose their Princes Favour upon this very Account Did we not see the most Advantageous and most Honorable Offices the very White Staves and the greatest of them not valued but easily parted with when Religion came in Question 's I need not go on to recite more particularly all these Things especially to your Lordship who were your Self one of the Noble Sufferers in the same Cause 'T will be sufficient to affirm once for all that the main Body of those who made so brave a Stand were all of the Church of England and the Principles on which they stood were all Church of England Principles My Lord it was by these Persons and these Principles that â—opery was stopt in its full Career by these it was then hindred from Conquering and put into a Condition to be shortly after Conquer'd it self in this Nation After having troubled your Lordship so long with my own Private Cause and having said something too in the behalf of what is much more dear to me the Public pray let me conclude with that which in this Juncture of Affairs may be counted well high another Public Cause Let me Present you with my Humbly well-meaning Opinion what Moderation is to be shewn towards those who happen'd to be employed in the late Times My Lord 't would be great Presumption in me having been my self too far engaged to offer at an Apology for other Persons concern'd then either with me in the Commission or in any other Public Business particularly for some of your Lordships Acquaintance whose Cause may be more Defensible than mine and I am sure their Abilities to defend it are much greater Only in general I will take the freedom to say That I make no Question but divers Good Men who were then in Imployments did in Prudence submit to some things in Order to hinder Worse I doubt not but many Acted then not to Increase but to Mitigate the Violence of those Times Some were in such Stations which perhaps 't was well done of them not suddenly to Desert lest worse Men should come in to do that which they design'd to prevent I believe some being as it were in the middle of the Stream when the Tide turn'd so Violently against our Establisht Church and Laws were driven down lower than they expected before they could resist the Current or get to Shore Wherefore considering all Circumstances 't was well so many mistook not the true Interest of the Nation 'T was happy so many preserv'd their Integrity so many had the honest Hardiness to stand unmoved by the Importunity of their King whom they were bred up to Honor and in all things else to Obey And in common Sense of human Frailty are not many Infirmities at such a time as that to be overlook'd now by wise and good Men Do not many false Steps so made deserve to be pitied May it not be thought some kind of Merit or some degree of Innocence at least not to have made more in such a slippery Ground as we then trod on If my Lord every Failure of that Time should be esteemed a Criminal Compliance every Compliance should be judg'd unpardonable VVho then that remain'd under the Government can be counted Innocent VVho shall be able justly to throw the first Stone VVhat Place will be then left for the Offender's Hope or for a Prince's Forgiveness the Noblest and most Divine Part of Power My Lord the constant Experience of all wise Times has shewed that all Civil Dissentions and Quarrels are best ended by the largest Acts of Indemnity and Oblivion In England especially where Good Nature is soon apt to have Compassion upon the Afflicted Here perhaps scarce any thing can be more dangerous to the Party that is uppermost than to put English-men upon pitying those that suffer under it And certainly this Revolution if ever any should be Mild in the Event since it was Bloodless in the whole Course of it in a time when there was most danger of Effusion of Blood. I will say no more my Lord but this that after great and unexpected Changes That hath been always found the firmest Settlement of any State or Government where the Prevailing Party hath look'd but very little backward and very much forward where Private Animosity and Revenge have wisely given way to the greater Benefits of Public Pardon and Indulgence Perhaps towards the Beginning of great Reformations a VVarm impetuous Spirit may have its use but to Compose Things after sudden Commotions to Calm Men's Minds for the future to Settle Affairs in a secure and lasting Peace most certainly a Gentle Generous Charitable Temper is the best And to say all in one word Such a Temper as is your Lordships MY LORD I am Your Lordship's Most Faithful Humble and Obedient Servant Tho. Roffen Westminster Mar. 26. 1689. FINIS The Bishop of Bath and Wells