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A61217 A clear apology and just defence of Richard Stafford for himself with a rehearsal, and further explanation of what he hath done concerning national affairs. Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703. 1690 (1690) Wing S5110; ESTC R219673 45,943 40

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is the alone Prerogative of God for He knoweth all things and searcheth the Heart that not the least Thing can be hid or concealed from him Whereas we only perceive a little according to the exact Truth but much more in a false and imperfect manner by doubtful Report and mistaken Observation And then we cannot throughly apprehend a thing wherein many are concerned so we can give no perfect Judgment and Determination God hath taken the like method for the exercise and administration of his Kingdom and Dominion over Men as our Kings and Governours over their several Countries And he hath a Book for his Government over all the Nations and Families of the Earth high and low rich and poor together as our Statute and Common Law is for England and their civil canon or municipal Laws for other Nations His Word is given unto Mankind to be a Rule for their Actions and a Law for them to live and be governed by and from that we are allowed and commanded to Reprove all manner of Sin and Transgression as any one now doth Lev. 19. 17. take notice or speak of what is done contrary to the Government and Laws of this Nation which is esteemed no fault but rather commendable and a Duty The same is and ought much more to be in things pertaining to God and so likewise would be if there was amongst us the like Zeal for and Knowledge of him that is invisible who fills Heaven and Earth with his Presence as now there is regard for the Son of Man whom we see to be little and to fade as a Leaf But this is to be understood for the Fear and Instruction of some and for the Comfort of others That God is not confined to the Imaginations and Sayings of Men If some speak smooth things and prophesie Deceits and others too hard Speeches and mistaken Applications The Judge himself will not ratifie what they say but condemns whom man absolves as again acquit whom man condemns For he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth He shall judge the World with Righteousness and the People with his Truth Psal 96. 13. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those Things which were written in the Books according to their Works Rev. 20. 12. This according to the Decree of the Eternal and unchangeable God is as certain and True as if it were already past and fulfilled As Judges and Justices of Gaol delivery do try Prisoners by the statute Book of this Realm at those Assizes which are holden twice a year so at this general Grave delivery which is to be kept once for all The dead Bodies of all People of every Place and Generation since Man was Created on the Earth shall arise and we shall all be judged by Christ and his Saints according to those Words written in the Bible And this according to the plain and common sence and understanding of the same Words Behold in this they are not just I will answer all mine Accusers and Enemies that God is greater than Man and so much do his Laws exceed theirs Wherefore do I mention that God is greater than Man In comparison of him the Nations are as a drop of a Bucker and are counted as the small dust of the Balance It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers We shall find and know that He bringeth the Princes to nothing He maketh the Judges of the Earth as Vanity Notwithstanding the People have more regard to them because they are seen and their utmost Power is known then they have to Almighty God who is not seen and whose Punishment is threatned But though God is not seen yet his Works are And how Great must He be who built this vast House of the World and created all things therein What is the Wrath of a Worm of five or six foot long to the * Isa 59. 15. Displeasure of Him who hath Heaven for his Throne and the Earth for his Footstool What is a single Individual or an Assembly of Men who dwell in Houses of Clay that they should when met in Council as yet exalt themselves to do according to their own will notwithstanding Gods Commandment to the contrary If not to speak Exod 9. 17. out because they profess that they know God but in Works deny him yet to think and act Marvellous things against the God of Gods Dan. 11. 36. And in this they are worse then him here spoken of or Pharoah for he knew not who was the Lord that he should obey him What is abomination of Heart they imagine to be bravery of mind that they can and are for doing things otherwise and as it were hinder that his will be not done here on Earth Which argues the exceeding sinfulness of sin with the infinite guilt and demerit thereof and it shall be punished with proportionable Condemnation Misery They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression They speak loftily They set their Mouth against the Heavens their Tongue walketh through the Earth therefore his People return hither and Waters of a full Cup are wring out to them Psal 73. 8 9 10. By the height and breadth and depth of such kind of Transgression we may judge of the length of future Torments Whose Thoughts were thus exalted to Heaven their Souls shall be thrust down to Hell Shall not God search this Luk. 10. 15. out for He knoweth the secrets of the Heart the innermost Thoughts and most hidden Imaginations Even now he looks down from the Habitation of his Holiness and is not far from every one of us for at this very moment He both sees and hears all that we are talking of or doing in our Houses and several places of abode And so He hath done all along of this Generation of Men now living as He did of those before we were born We read of Him in his Word for the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God a Mighty and a Terrible which regardeth not Persons nor taketh Reward Deut. 10. 17. We have a sence and aw and dread of Him upon our minds we may know and perceive his Laws written in our Hearts and inward Parts by laying open our Conscience as in his sight and by communing with our own spirit when we are for a little while silent in our Chamber and somewhat freed and separated from the Things of this World All these wayes God doth shew and manifest himself unto Mankind so that they are without excuse This may be thought proper to instruct and convert Heathens or the neighbouring Nations which do grovel in the darkness of Popish ignorance but doth not seem so applicable to our own Countrey where the Scriptures are read and preached in a known
mightest be justified in thy Sayings and overcome when thou art judged We are sure that all Scripture came by Inspiration from God and therefore all is Truth what that saith And whatever the Practices of others are to keep their places or to make a gain of Godliness so called but rather Hypocrisie or procure and retain the favour of the great Ones yet such will be the greatest losers in the end for there is a real Truth and Signification in these Words Blessed are they that keep Judgment and He that doth Righteousness at all times Psal 106. 3. And though at this present short time There is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked to him that sweareth or he that feareth an Oath Yet it will be certainly better with those who have continued whole and stedfast in the Covenant of their God and have preserved a good Conscience in all things So it will be seen and experienced when of this and every day of our Life after years of discretion we shall be called to Account which will also extend to every Idle and false word that men do now speak The time place circumstances and aggravations of such wilful Sins and deliberate Acts of Disobedience will be manifested as they were day by day committed And then it will be no excuse to have justified the wicked for Reward or for fashion or because they had the greatest number of their side or out of any wrong or indirect Principle They act foolishly and are ignorant who flourish over and vindicate the Violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province for they may now Read and Understand that the Most Highest regardeth the Matter and there is Higher than they who will set things at right again That wo which is now denounced against them who call Evil good and Good evil shall at length terminate in execution and misery It is a sad Thing to consider that any People for profit and advantage for pride and pleasure to get or keep the good will of their superiour fellow Creatures should whilst they live do those things for which after Death they shall suffer punishment And they should be more careful fearful to humor and comply with a parcel of Dying Men whose Gifts perish with them and their Fury vanisheth into nothing then they are to please an Almighty Father and Everliving God Do ye think the Scripture saith in vain Trust in him at all times ye People pour out your Heart before him God is a Refuge for us Selah Surely Men of Low degree are Vanity and Men of High degree are a Lye To be laid in the Ballance they are altogether lighter then Vanity Trust not in Oppression and become not vain in Robbery If Riches increase set not your Heart upon them God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that Power belongeth unto God Also unto thee O Lord belongeth Mercy for thou rendrest to every Man according to his Work Psal 62. 8 9 10 11. God hath wisely established things for a Life of Tryal and an Obedience of Faith and to exercise our Trust on him He hath given us the Law and the Testimony and the Light that is in them to discern and know Good and Evil Truth and Falshood Right and Wrong Substance and Vanity And the Salvation which we expect from our God should always keep us in that stedfast purpose of mind as not to commit any deliberate Sin nor to continue in any known Transgression nor to practice Hypocrisie nor to leave Duty undone for to accomplish present things If men did not talk of it as a Word of Course but do really desire to get to Heaven as now they see the outside and they must certainly go off from this Earth then they must not do those things that lead a contrary way as that Word which reveals the invisible things within and the necessary means to obtain doth expresly declare It is no jesting matter but rather a sad sign that the Curse of God which is a fore-runner of his punishment is fallen upon people when they add Iniquity to their Iniquity and not come into thy Righteousness Psal 69. 27. For the next thing which succeeds is to be blott●d out of the Book of the living and not be written with the Righteous Vers 28. and that is ten thousand times worse then to lose their Lives Liberties and Estates And whereas it is further surmised our pure Reformed Religion is more dear and that would be endangered It is here deliberately and advisedly affirmed That the Doctrines and Practices of these corrupt Times are more dangerous and prejudicial to Souls than all the Errors and Supersti●ions of Popery for that same Word which instructs in the way of Salvation and makes known what is the pure and undefiled Religion before God doth speak much more against Perjury Lying Unrighteousness Disobedience to Parents Revenge false Accusation Hipocrisie and an Hypocritical Nation and such like then it doth against Idolatry Superstition and false Worship But the Will of God is which we must also do if we would be saved that we abstain from them all Thou declarest upon Oath that the Pope cannot depose Heretical Princes and that neither he nor any Person whatsoever hath Power to absolve thee of this Oath or any part thereof but what if God should judge that Protestant Lay-men cannot absolve subjects from their Oath and Allegiance to a Popish King In Truth neither can one do it nor yet the other The same God who commands that we keep from Idols doth likewise enjoyn that we do no wrong and that we abstain from all appearance of evil It is both folly and Wickedness to run from one unlawful extream to another and God will shew and manifest that there is no necessity to proceed from evil to evil and they know not me saith the Lord Jer. 9. 3. It is impertinent and irk some to explain things so every particularly but People are dull of apprehension fears and jealousies are endless and more especially a consciousness of guilt and wrong is not easily satisfied for it hopes to have this excuse for their Sin a surmise of Danger and they venture upon these doubtful things to make more sure against it for so they call such things which are as evidently a breach of the Law as Adultery and Fornication are against the seventh Commandment and are more certainly Sins then Drunkenness is one as themselves may know for compare their Actions with the Law and their own Thoughts will accuse them When the Soul hath departed from the Law of the most High she seeks out for this or that Imagination to pacifie but it cannot satisfie the grumblings with in at this present time and which she vainly and falsly hopes will save harmless as to the future But notwithstanding all the Deceiveableness of Vnrighteousness strong Delusions and human Allegations Yet Gods Glory is not nor can be advanced by sinful means For The just Lord is