Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A46475
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His Majesties gracious letter to the Parliament of Scotland with the speeches of the Lord High Commissioner and the Lord High Chancellor : together with the Parliaments answer to His Majesties letter.
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England and Wales. Sovereign (1685-1688 : James II); James II, King of England, 1633-1701.; Scotland. Parliament.
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1685
(1685)
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Wing J195; ESTC R30362
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8,450
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10
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might have the opportunity of presenting Him with the first Fruits of the Service of His Parliaments and of becoming Exemples to His other Dominions is the greatest and what we should prize the most improving it as far as it will go When we consider what strange turns the extravagant Follies of some and the malicious devilish Contrivances of others among us have taken since the last Meeting of Parliament what Convulsions have Attacted the Body of this Nation and how vile a Ferment has raged in it to have our Advice called for by our Prince how to provide proper Remedies for it is the greatest Honour could be put upon us That we may do what in Duty we are bound in return let us lay aside all private Aims and Ends for how can we hope to serve His Majesty or promote the Interest of the Nation while our Eye is directed only towards our own particular and let us with the Frankness and Cheerfulness of honest SCOTS MEN. use all possible means for Uniting of the Nation and the driving from amongst us whoever will not joyn with us upon such Terms as may conduce to the Advancement of the Honour and Interest of our King and His Crown and the Well-being of this our Native Countrey which we should not suffer to be defiled and rendred contemptible to the whole World by entertaining so Venemous a Bastardly brood of villanous men as have of late to the reproach of Scotland and of Humane Nature it self maintained Principles and ventured upon Practices not to be named amongst any who have ever heard of a Government much less of Religion My Lords and Gentlemen You all know what a Conspiracy hath been entered into by ill men of both Kingdoms against the Sacred Lives of the late King and his present Majestie and who but incarnate Devils could think of attempting any thing against such precious Lives For what Prince in Eâ—rop or the whole World was ever like the late King except His Glorious Brother who now Reigns and to have cut off any of them had been barbarous to a degree of making us appear more abominable then any people ever were but for us to have lost both had been our utter ruine Yet against both was the design laid and had suceeded if that watchful Providence which hath often preserved the two Royal Brothers in so many difficulties had not defeated the success by an un-fore-seen accident and had it succeeded what Confusion what Cruelty what Blood what un-expressible Misery had overflowed these Kingdoms But besides this we have a new Sect sprung up amongst us from the dunghil the very dregs of the people who kill by pretended Inspiration and in stead of The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord have nothing in their mouths but The Word of God wresting that blessed conveyance of his Holy Will to us to justifie a practice suggested to them by him who was a Murtherer from the beginning who having modelled themselves into a Common-wealth whose Idol is that accursed paper the Covenant and whose only Rule is to have none at all have proceeded to declare themselves no longer His Majesties Subjects to forefeit all of us who have the honour to serve him in any considerable station and will be sure ere long to do so by this great and honourable Court It is how to rid our selves of these men and of all who incline to their Princâ—ples that we are to offer to His Majesty our Advice Concurrence and utmost Assiâ—ance These Monsters bring a publick reproach upon the Nation in the eyes of all 〈◊〉 Neighbours abroad while in their Gazets we are mentioned as acting the vilest Assassâ—nations and the horridest Villanies they render us unquiet and unsecure at homâ— they bring Reproach upon our Religion and are our great plague Let us for the sake of our Allegiance for His Majesties Honour for our Reputatioâ— abroad for the vindication of our Religion and for our own Peace and Tranquillity make haste to get our selves cured of it If this were once effectuated we might yet hope for quiet and in order to the making our quiet the more comfortable to us when once we are come to a Resolution abouâ— what relates to the publick peace and to the respect we owe to His Majesty we may have occasion of considering what Laws may be necessary towards the facilitating thâ— well-governing of our selves and Native Countrey both as to the regulating our Carriagâ— one towards another and the securing our Estates from any thing that may be unea 〈…〉 from the distribution of Justice between man and man as to the improving of our Trade and Commerce abroad and encouraging Industry and Frugality at home for in all these things His Majesties care will not fail us And my Lord Commissioner amongst his many other advantages is so well known to be a lover of his Countrey that we need not fear but that He will give his Concurrence in what He is allowed so freely to consent to My Lords and Gentlemen To encourage us to do all we can towards the service and the Honour of our Glorious Monarch let 〈◊〉 consider Him in all His Personal Advantages whether in what relates to War or Peace where has the World afforded such another One whose Natural Endowments have been improved by his great experience at home and abroad in Armies and Courts by the greatest tryals of the most differing kinds those of prosperity and success and of adversity and opposition of hazards and toyle and of Authority and Command in the strictest adhering to His Word such Temperance and Sobriety so indefatigable a diligence in Affairs so Undaunted a Courage upon all occasions and so unwearied a Clemency towards the most obstinate malicious Offenders Did ever Heroe compleat the Character so fully in overcoming bravely and shewing gentleness to the vanquished And I must say the Triumphs of His Patience are not His obscurest Glories nor is the forgiving of those whose virulent Tongues would have Tainted his Fame if their malice could have reached it what is least to be admired in him what Reputation other Princes have laboured for at the vast extent of Blood and Treasure and the putting of a constant constraint upon themselves sits so easie upon Him that what they would have He forces from the Consciences of his very Enemies by His Merit and it costs Him no more than to be Himself But this Theme is not for me I do Him wrong and while it may be at this very moment He is receiving the Acclamations of His good Subjects in the chief City of our Neighbour Nation at the great Solemnity of His Coronation there I am detracting from Him here by giving him too low a Character I shall onely add that He gave to Subjects the greatest example of Loyalty and Obedience while He was one Himself and now He is an example to all Kings in His Love His Clemency and Care towards his People Let us give Him the return of our Love our Fidelity and our Obedience And seeing He takes pleasure in nothing so much as in our felicity and prosperity let it be an additional tye upon us to advance His Honour and Greatness by all the endeavours of our Lives without reserve and with our whole Fortunes which under His protection we may if we please so peaceably and comfortably enjoy The Parliaments Answer to His Majesties Letter May it please your Sacred Majesty YOur Majesties gracious and kind remembrance of the Services done by this your ancient Kingdom to the late King your Brother of ever-Glorious Memory shall rather raise in us ardent desires to exceed whatever we have done formerly than make us consider them as deserving the Esteem your Majesty is pleased to express of them in your Letter to us dated the 28 th of March The death of that our excellent Monarch is lamented by us to all the degrees of Grief that are consistent with our great Joy for the Succession of your Sacred Majesty who has not onely continued but secured the Happiness which His Wisdom His Justice and Clemency procured to us And having the honour to be the first Parliament which meets by your Royal Authority of which we are very sensible your Majesty may be confident that we will offer such Laws as may best secure your Majesties Sacred Person the Royal Family and Government and be so exemplarily Loyal as to raise your Honour and Greatness to the utmost of our power which we shall ever esteem both our Duty and Interest Nor shall we leave any thing undone for extirpating all Fanaticsm but especially those Fanatical Murtherers and Assassins and for detecting and punishing the late Conspirators whose pernicious and execrable designs did so much tend to subvert your Majesties Government and ruine us and all your Majesties faithful Subjects We can assure your Majesty that the Subjects of this your Majesties ancient Kingdom are so desirous to exceed all their Predecessors in extraordinary marks of affection and Obedience to your Majesty that God be praised the onely way to be Popular with us is to be eminently Loyal Your Majesties care of us when you took us to be your special Charge your Wisdom in extinguishing the seeds of Rebellion and Faction amongst us your Justice which was so great as to be for ever exemplary But above all your Majesties free and cheerful securing to us our Religion when you were the late King your Royal Brother's Commissioner now again renewed when you are our Soveraign are what your Subjects here can never forget And therefore your Majesty may expect that we will think your Commands sacred as your Person and that your Inclination will prevent our Debates Nor did ever any who represented our Monarchs as their Commissioners except your Royal Self meet with greater Respect or more exact Observance from a Parliament than the Duke of Queensberry whom your Majesty has so wisely chosen to represent you in this and of whose eminent Loyalty and great Abilities in all his former Employments this Nation hath seen so many proofs shall find from May it please your Sacred Majesty Your Majesties most Humble most Faithful and most Obedient Subjects and Servants In name of the Parliament Sic Subscribitur PERTH Cancell I. P. D. Parl. At Edinburgh the 28th of April 1685.