A70766:67
Moderation a virtue, or, A vindication of the principles and practices of the moderate…Moderation a vertue, or, A vindication of the principles and practices of the moderate…
Moderation a virtue, or, A vindication of the principles and practices of the moderate divines and laity of the Church of England represented in some late immoderate discourses, under the nick-names of Grindalizers and Trimmers / by a lover of moderation, resident upon his cure ; with an appendix, demonstrating that parish-churches are no conventicles ... in answer to a late pamphlet entitled, Parish-churches turned into conventicles, &c.Moderation a vertue, or, A vindication of the principles and practices of the moderate divines and laity of the Church of England represented in some late immoderate discourses, under the nick-names of Grindalizers and Trimmers / by a lover of moderation, resident upon his cure ; with an appendix, demonstrating that parish-churches are no conventicles ... in answer to a late pamphlet entitled, Parish-churches turned into conventicles, &c.
London: printed for Jonathan Robinson, 1683
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
6. A sixth way whereby the Grindalizers contribute to Nonconformity, is by their writing fraudulent Pleas for them. Their writing! how many of them wrote the Pleas? Were they written by a Club, or an Association? I know some who had no hand in them. But why fraudulent? Either because of a mind to deceive, which you cannot know, nor bring to your Visitation? or because of the fallacious Management of them? If they plead Things upleadable, then show them no Kindness; if things pleadable, they show their Moderation, and a desire of Union and Reconciliation of the Difference. And let it be considered, the time when some of the Pleas were printed, even then Union and Moderation were coming into Fashion, I mean, when the House of Commons ordered a Bill to be brought in for Union of Protestants, and for taking away some Penal Laws.
6. A sixth way whereby the Grindalizers contribute to Nonconformity, is by their writing fraudulent Pleas for them. Their writing! how many of them wrote the Pleas? Were they written by a Club, or an Association? I know some who had no hand in them. But why fraudulent? Either because of a mind to deceive, which you cannot know, nor bring to your Visitation? or because of the fallacious Management of them? If they plead Things upleadable, then shew them no Kindness; if things pleadable, they shew their Moderation, and a desire of Union and Reconciliation of the Difference. And let it be consider'd, the time when some of the Pleas were printed, even then Union and Moderation were coming into Fashion, I mean, when the House of Commons ordered a Bill to be brought in for Union of Protestants, and for taking away some Penal Laws.
7. By endeavouring to acquit the Presbyterians and Independents of the King's Murder. To this we say in short, We know no Man who ever endeavoured to acquit any kind of Men from that ever to be lamented Murder, that ever imagined, thought, spoke, or acted the least in it, or towards it. And for you to make a Party, and call them Grindalizers, and charge the whole Party with this, and other things, according to your fancy, is, to abuse your faculty of writing, and turn it into an angry impertinent scribble. If you will know us, and believe us, you may know us by our hearty wishing, that the Act of Indemnity, would also prove an Act of Oblivion, and that none that ever were called Christians, had at any time sinned against the 13th to the Romans. Were it possible for us, we had rather acquit the Romanists of the Doctrine and Practices of Rebellion, than charge them with it: and do heartily wish there may never be again such occasion or reason for an Act of Grace to any Protestants, either at home or abroad, as there was for ours. If you will not believe us, we cannot help your unbelief, but do again say, We do condemn the Criminals, as, all such were who promoted that horrid Fact, though in the remotest Circumstances; but let not all be blamed for some: at that rate the sacred Office of Apostleship shall be arraigned as guilty, because Judas was a Traitor, and Demus an Apostate.