Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n
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A57141
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The humble proposals of sundry learned and pious divines within this kingdome concerning the engagement intended to be imposed on them for their subscriptions.
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Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676.
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1650
(1650)
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Wing R1254; ESTC R11585
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3,444
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10
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The humble PROPOSALS OF Sundry Learned and Pious DIVINES Within this Kingdome Concerning the ENGAGEMENT Intended to be imposed on them for their Subscriptions PSAL. 64. 5. They commune of laying snares privily EXOD. 23. 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil PET. 3. 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for evill doing LONDON Printed in the Year 1650. The humble Proposals of sundry Divines within the Kingdom Concerning the Engagement intended to be imposed on them for their Subscriptions WE Ministers of the Gospell of Jesus Christ who have all of us from the beginning faithfully served the Parliament and have in pursuance of those great and honourable ends of just Liberty and Reformation suffered many and grievous things in our Names and Estates from the common Enemy and to this day have adhered to our first Principles and do still promise in our Places and Stations to maintain the Peace of this Nation and to pay obedience to the Lawes thereof conceiving it our duty in such a time as this in all wayes of meekness and humility to endeavour the Preservation of our inward Peace and outward Safety being streightned in Conscience upon the case of the present Engagement do humbly offer these ensuing particulars 1. That although we hold our selves bound by our former Solemn Covenants and Engagements in that sense of them wherein they were by publick Authority imposed on us yet being convinced of the necessity of civill Government in a Land for the preservation of Humane Society and prevention of all those Evills which the outrages of wicked men unrestrained would produce and upon mature deliberation considering That when the wise and holy Providence of God whose judgements are unsearchable and wayes past finding out shall at any time so shake the foundations of States and Kingdoms as to disable one Government from affording protection and preservation and to admit any other to obtain it it is not then strange to the will of God light of Nature judgement of the learned and practice of Christians in former ages nor to our own principles or former Engagements to live quietly and peaceably in our places and callings and to submit to such things as are imposed upon or required of us by the powers which are in actual possession being things in themselves lawfull and necessarie to the preservation of our selves and others for this we conceive may be done without disputing the right or title of those that are in place of Magistracy we do upon these premises declare that we wil accordingly behave our selves 2. That we do humbly conceive that there is a great difference between these things and a Subscription to this Engagement in the words wherein it is required and that in divers respects First This Subscription as to our Consciences doth imply an approbation of the present establishment as effected by a full and a free Authority Secondly An active concurrence and as it were a ratifying consent of the people thereunto it having been declared that the originall of all just power is in the People Thirdly An obligation to act an all times in all places and capacities to the promoting and strengthening of it not only of it but by a parity of Reason of any other which by the possible advantage of power may at any time hereafter even to the prejudice and ruine of this set up it selfe and then require of us the like subscription 3. Being by this Engagement bound up to these particulars as the words seem to import we further conceive That we shall by this subscription violate those former Engagements in Oathes Protestations and in the Solemn League and Covenant wherein we were by the former Commands of Parl. obliged in which last particular if the time we entred into it be considered viz. In the day of our extremity or the Religious solemnity with hands lifted up to the most high God or the matter of it which is comprehensive of things Sacred and Civill and particularly of the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament and the Liberties of the Kingdome or the sense wherein we then took it or the asseveration that we would never be drawn from it by any Terrour or Combination whatsoever or the durable obligation which we brought upon our selves by it even all the dayes of our lives or the Considerations which we had before our eyes in the taking of it namely the Glory of God the advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Happinesse of the King and his Posterity These things being duly considered do leave such an awfull impression on our Consciences that anlesse the consistency thereof with this Engagement be made unquestionably clear unto us it cannot but render our Consciences trembling doubtfull so the act of Engaging by the Apostles rule to us unlawfull as by a parity of Reason it would have been undoubtedly inconsistent with our Covenant to have subscribed an Engagement to the King and Lords without the Commons of England if it should by their Agreement and Authority have been required of us 4. These things being considered in the nature of the Engagement and in the full relation to which it stands to former Engagements cannot in our judgements but minister matter of generall scandall and offence to multitudes of men both good and bad many of whom being not able to make or happily so much as understand subtile distinctions whereby guilt may either be evaded or palliated will look upon us as breakers of our Oaths and Covenants as prevaricators of the most sacred and solemn things as men of ductile spirits and prostituted Consciences led by principles of fear or interest which prejudice though we would grant were more founded in the ignorance and mistakes of these men then many solid and just reasons would yet grosly wound the Gospel expose our Ministry to scorn the honour whereof ought to be dearer to us then our lives endanger the reputation and so weaken the power of it in the Consciences of our hearers who though through fear or other private ends may themselves have subscribed yet retain low thoughts of us as if we acted on the like principles as that we cannot but believe but Christ would be a greater looser by our subscription then the state can any way be a gainer by it we desire alwayes to keep in mind the noble resolution of the Apostle who would not in case of scandall use his own just power but chose rather to suffer all things lest he should binder the Gospel of Christ and concluded it was better for him to die then that any in that behalf should make his glorying void Upon these and such like grounds purely consciencious and not out of any private interest or design contrary to the peace of this Common-wealth we are 〈◊〉 to forbear Subscription untill either by solemn debate of the Engagement as of the Covenant or otherwise our Consciences shall be cleared of important scruples So we humbly crave leave further to represent that our former Governours not duly considering that men even in highest authority as well as others are by the doctrine of the Scriptures concerning scandall bound to avoid the laying of shares and stumbling-blocks in the way of their Brethren 〈◊〉 not onely attempted as in their late Canonâ— to impose an 〈◊〉 Oath but also enforced Subscriptions on many godly and learned Ministers to the utter undoing of themselves and Families and that with such vigour that the beginning of K. James his Government was with the deprivation of 3. or 〈◊〉 of them and though we shall not take upon us to charge upon that severity of theirs the consequences which have followed yet we may offer this observation that sundry examples may be given of Goverâ—â—â—â—s who have laid the unhappy foundation of ensuing evills to themselves and their people in the beginning of their Government And therefore we do presume that those in present power according to their professed Principles and Resolutions to have respect to tender Consciences wil not 〈◊〉 us to the sad Dilemma of chusing either sinne or affliction and hope that the many years experience of our quiet behaviour and faithfull service may give them a better assurance and security for our peaceable conversation then the fained Subscriptions of very many who professe themselves not engaged by this Engagement but use â—â—s a protection of their Estates and a cover under which they hide and keep warm their former malignity and who certainly would rejoyce at and take the advantage of that sad division which is likely to ensue amongst those who have co-operated in the common cause of Reformation and just Liberty We being at present shut up under such considerations as these do humbly beseech those in present power not to compell us whose reputation is as necessary for others as a good conscience for ourselves to draw reproach upon Religion and vilifie the reputation of the Ministry by which the service of Jesus Christ is advanced and cause others to think we esteem Oaths as changeable as opinions and so brand us with the odious mark of 〈◊〉 and prevarication subject us to the contempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all as men of loose and uncertain principles lay foundations to our selves of subscribing any thing hereafter upon the same grounds and that unto these things we may not be enforced by so high and heavy a penalty 〈◊〉 to be outlawed of our Birth-right which is a punishment too heavy to be inflicted for no crime and as we conceive can hardly be exampled to have been inflicted on any but persons of infamous note with whom we may speak without vanity we have not deserved to be numbred untill by wilfull violation of the Lawes we deprive our selves of their protection forfeit the benefit of them FINIS Sect. 1. Sect. 2. Sect. 5. Sect. 6. Sect. 7.