Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A54675
|
An appendix to the Agreement for the people published for the satisfaction of tender consciences by A.P.
|
A. P.
|
1648
(1648)
|
Wing P2; ESTC R9371
|
4,318
|
7
|
about Religion wherein there is protection made for idolatry heresie and other the like abominations I argue thus That whereby Provision is made to protect idolatry heresie or any the like abominations is sinfull but by subscribing to the new Agreement about Religion Provision is made to protect idolatry heresie and the like abominations therefore subscribing to the new Agreement about Religion is sinfull That to make Provision to protect idolatry heresie or any the like abomination is sinfull the Scripture abundantly shews yet I shall now produce onely two or three witnesses Zech. 13.2 3. it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord of Hosts that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembred and also I will cause the Prophets and the uncleane Spirit to passe out of the land and it shall come to passe that when any shall yet prophesie then his father and mother that begat-him shall say unto him thou shalt not live for thou prophesiest lyes in the name of the Lord and his father and his mother that beg at him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth Tit. 1.10 11. there are many deceivers whose mouths must be stopt who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not Rev. 2.20 I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezebel which calleth her self a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce my servants to eate things sacrificed to idols Having thus shewed you my grounds against subscribing this new Agreement I shall proceed to answer an Obiection or Querie and remove a double temptation The Obiection which a democraticall spirit is apt to forge runs thus If that Oath which we have taken for the maintaining of the Parliaments Priviledges and the King Authority be to maintaine an usurped power and if we be perswaded that the supreme power is seated in our selves what hurt would it be to lay aside our Covenant I answer though this supposition be made up of fancy rather then reality yet if there were as much truth in the supposition as there is confidence in some men about it yet by no means may such an Oath or Covenant be broken though in humane probability the flourishing or freedome of a Kingdome might be attained thereby and for this case I shall give you a parallel Ezek. 17.12 13 14 15. the King of Babylon is come to Jerusalem and hath taken the King thereof and the Princes thereof and hath led them with him to Babylon and hath taken of the Kings seed and made a Covenant with him and hath taken an Oath of him he hath also taken the mighty of the land that the Kingdome might be base that it might not lift up it self but that by keeping of his Covenant it might stand but he rebelled against him in sending his Embassadours into Egypt that they might give him horses and much People shall he prosper shall he escape that deth such things or shall he breake the Covenant and be delivered The temptation to subscription from this consideration that this new Module is commended to the People from an armed hand though not in an armed way may be a snare two ways 1. By way of humane confidence 2. By way of humane feare 1. Some who otherwise would not be induced to subscribe may be allured by thinking that if they do subscribe they shall have the more speciall protection from the Army 2. Some who otherwise could not be perswaded to subscribe may be wrought upon by fancying that if they do not subscribe they may be liable to the displeasure of those who have power to do them an ill turne These humane temptations might be answered by humane considerations but I wave them having some pieces of armour of proof and weapons that are not carnall but mighty through God which I shall commend to every poore soule that may be assaulted with either of the forementioned temptations And first to that temptation of humane confidence I shall returne these Scripture meditations Isa 31.3 Now the Egyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh and not spirit when the Lord shall stretch out his hand both be that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall down and they all shall fall together Ezek. 17.17 18. neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty Army and great company make for him in the warre by casting up mounts and building up forts to cut off many Persons Seeing he despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant when lo he had given his hand and hath done all these things he shall not escape To that other temptation of humane feare I shall returne these Scripture considerations Isa 51.12 13. I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die and of the Son of man that shall be made as grasse and forgetteth the Lord thy Maker that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the Oppressour as if he were ready to destroy and where is he fury of the Oppressour Heb. 1.3.5 6. he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not feare what man can do unto me Christian Reader if by what thou hast read thou hast gained any Resolution I have my aim however I have discharged my conscience FINIS
AN Appendix TO THE AGREEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE Published for the satisfaction of Tender Consciences By A. P. January 24. 1648. Imprimatur JOHN DOWNAME LONDON Printed for G. Calvert and are sold at the East end of Pauls 1648. An APPENDIX To the AGREEMENT for the PEOPLE BEfore I come to speak to the other Paper I shall answer for my owne Whereas some may be apt to object against it as needlesse thus 1. Master Ashurst a Parliament man of knowne integrity and of eminent repute for Piety in his Reasons against agreement with a Paper intituled The Agreement of the Peopl hath sufficiently done this work 2. It is likely that many of those who have stuck to the Parliament will be forward of themselves to reject the new Module when they see it comming from those heads and hands by which so many Members of Parliament have been violently detained from the exercise of that trust wherein they have been eminently active for the Peoples freedome 3. It is not imaginable that the businesse will proceed to subscription seeing it is inconsistent with the Declaration of the Honourable House of Commons set up by their Command in the Parish meeting-places To the first Objection I answer That though Master Ashurst hath handled the subject both as a Christian and as a States-man with invincible Reasons Yet seeing that Price is not so common as it deserves to be it may be the Lot of this paper to come to such hands as misse of that and so this may do some good though not so much as the other To the second I answer that the new Module comming from men who have done much good service in another kind and being penned with so much artifice it is probable some men of honest affections may be surprized into a subscription if they be not forewarned of the danger for their sakes therefore have I undertaken this To the third I answer the provocations of this back-sliding Kingdome are so great that we know not how farre Providence may in Gods just judgement permit things to be swayed contrary to our apprehensions as we have seen by late and unexpected experience it will therefore be wisedome to feare the worst and provide a timely remedy which I desire to do in few words not medling with those circumstances which make the new Module practicable nor many things which are materiall in it my purpose not being to give an ample answer but to put in a sufficient caution against it by shewing that the main things in it and those that seem to be most intended by it are such as so farre as I can see having compared them with the Law and the Testimony cannot be subscribed unto by most of the Parliaments Partakers without Perjury nor by any subject of this Kingdome without sinne The things most considerable in that agreement are two 1. The alteration of the Civill Government from King Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled to new Representees in stead of a Parliament 2. The vast Toleration of heresie schism idolatry and other sins immediately against the God of glory Upon these two branches I shall proceed That the new Module cannot be subscribed by most of the Parliaments friends without Perjury I argue thus For any men to subscribe to things contrary to their owne Oaths is perjury but most of all the Parliaments friends have taken the solemne League and Covenant wherein they have sworne constantly to indeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes to the nearest uniformity in Religion and Forme of Church-Governement and to indeavour the extirpation of superstition heresie schisme and to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliament and the Kings Majesties Authority that the world may beare witnesse with their consciences of their loyalty and that they have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just Power and that they shall with all faithfulnesse endeavour the discovery of all such as shall be evill instruments by hindering the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one Kingdome from another that they may be brought to condigne punishment therefore it is perjury for most of the Parliaments friends to subscribe to the new Agreement which gives Toleration to superstition heresie and schisme and which takes away Rights and Priviledges of the Parliament and the Kings Authority and divides the King from his people and obstructs uniformity in Religion and Forme of Church-Government and is likely to divide this Kingdome from one or both of the other The Oath of Allegiance and the Protestation which many of them also have taken obliges them expressely to some of the forementioned particulars which are contrary to the new Agreement Let me therefore beseech all those which have taken either the Oath of Allegiance or the Protestation or the Covenant in the feare of God to consider these texts of Scripture Psal 15.1 4. Lord who shall dwell in thy holy hill he that sweareth to his owne hurt and changeth not Eccles 8.2 I counsell thee to keep the Kings Commandement and that in regard of the Oath of God Ezek. 17.19 Thus saith the Lord God as I live surely mine Oath that he hath despised and the Covenant that he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his owne head This I hope will be sufficient to make every one that fears an Oath to take heed how he give it under his hand that he is resolved to breake his Covenant Now in the next place I shall hold forth unto you that the new Agreement cannot be subscribed by any Subject of this Kingdome without finne in regard of the two chief branches above mentioned viz. The alteration of the Civill Governement and the Toleration about matters of Religion Concerning the Civil part of the Agreement I argue thus It is sinfull in any subject to subscribe to that which is contrary to the duty of a subject but to alter the supreme Government of a State is contrary to the duty of a Subject therefore it is finfull in any Subiect to subscribe to alter the Supreme Government That it is contrary to the duty of a Subiect to go about to alter the Supreme Government of a Kingdome wherein he is a Subject is evident in many Scriptures whereof I shall here produce a few Prov. 24.21 22. Feare thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change for their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Rom. 13.1 2. Let every soule be subiect unto the Higher-powers for there is no power but of God the Powers that be are of God whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they thas resist receive to themselves damnation 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves unto every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him Concerning the other branch in the Agreement