Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A67098
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Worse and worse: or, A description of their desperate condition who shall presume to take the new Oath or covenant
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1643
(1643)
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Wing W3611A; ESTC R205419
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9,104
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17
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of misguided-Zeal or spirit of revenge upon his brother offends against the third For these and the like causes S. Austin concludes that Falsa 〈◊〉 est exitiosa vera iuratio periculosa nulla iuratio secura D. August Ser 28. de verbis Apost False swearing is pernicious true swearing is dangerous not at all swearing is secure Now for the second Q. How can it consist with a threefold Oath taken in particular and First how with the Oath of Supremacy For if he be Supream over all persons in all Causes Ecclesiasticall and Temporall how can I swear to subject him or which is all one his Commissioners 1. Pet. 2.14 and Power sent by him to any persons in any cause whatsoever Ob. 1. But you will say the occasion of that Oath was only to exclude the Popes Supremacy Sol. True though that were the chiefe occasion yet it was not only the intention but was purposely made to involve and shut up all his Subjects under the same Conditions of unresisting Obedience Ob. 2. But the Oath only binds so long as the King observes the Condition of his own Oath for the true Religion c. Sol. A lawfull Oath taken is of good force to bind us to Obedience even to a bad King much more to an eminently good Pious and Religious King as appeares by that of Solomon Eccles 8.2 I councell thee to keepe the Kings Commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God And by example of Zedechiahs perjury and breaking of his Oath made to a Tyrant Ezech 17. v. 15.20 an Enemy of the Church Shall he prosper saith God shall he escape that doth such things Or shall he break his Covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord Surely MY Oath which he hath despised and MY Covenant that he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his own head In like manner Saul his bloody house was visited because he sought to slay the Gibeonites aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel though in Zeal toto the Children of Israel and Juda. Hitherto of the first Oath 2. Sam. 21.1.2 which is of Supremacy The second followes of Allegiance O. How can it consist with it For I am bound by it to defend the Kings Person to the uttermost of my power and speedily to discover and resist all Treasons and Conspiracies against his Person Crown or Dignity All which seeme to be endangered by taking or partaking with Armes raised against him or the Power Army or Life-guard commanded by Him for His defence and that no person whatsoever hath power to absolve mee of this Oath And for The third Oath Of the late Protestation How can it consist For I Protest Vow and promise to maintaine the Protestant Religion See the preamble of the House of Commons to the Protest expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations But this Assertion of the new Oath that in my Conscience I doe beleeve that the Forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament are raised and continued for their â—ust defence and for the defence of the true Protestant Religion seems to contradict the late Protestation For first it is against the established Doctrine of the Church of England which is in the 37. Article which saith that The Kings Majesty hath the Chiefe power in this Realme of England unto whom the Chiefe government of All Estates whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill in All causes doth appertaine To rule All Estates and degrees committed to Their charge and to restraine with the sword None of which can the King doe if the Sword or Militia be taken from Him Item That a man may take up Armes or take an Oath when the Magistrate i. e. Supream Power commandeth implying that no man ought either to take Oath or bear Armes without the Injunction of the Magistrate Item Article 35. that the two Bookes of Homilies the Homilies against Rebellion amongst the rest containe a Godly and wholsome Doctrine to be read in Churches by the Ministers that is Preachers not only Reading Ministers dilligently distinctly that they may be understood by the People as the Doctrine of the Church of England For though there may be many Doctrins and many Churches in England yet there is but one Doctrine one church of England contained in the 39. Articles and Common-Prayer Book confirmed by Act of Parliament Thus far of the first particular of the Protestation The second is how it can consist with that part of the Protestation which binds me to oppose all Popish Innovationis c. for to take up Armes in case of Religion against a Supream Power is a plaine Popish Innovation and a new Invention ought and maintained only in this last Age. And thirdly â—ow can it consist with the last particular Wherein I 〈◊〉 and protest to maintains with my Life Power and Estate according to the duty of mine Allegiance His Majesties Person Honour and Estate Now the Quaere is how I maintaine first His Person with my life Power and Estate if I sweare to assist an Army of men whom He hath oft Declared and are so accounted by many pious and Iudicious men to be utter Enemies to His Person Honour and Estate Or secondly how can I be said to maintaine His Honour when by this Oath I professe expressely contrary to the word of God Eccles 10.20 Exod. 22.28 not only in mine heart to curse and accuse Him but openly with my mouth to revile and blaspheme Him and in effect say in mine heart which is Nefandum horrendum and farre from the thought of an obedient Sonne that honoureth his Father He is an utter Enemy of Gods true Religion a violator of all sacred Vowes Oathes and Covenants And can't yet be said to maintaine His Honour Can I be thus presumptuous to â—udge Him Am I not afraid to speake evill or Dignities yet maintaine the kings Honour or the Christian Protestant Religion 2 Pet. 2.10.11 Did Cham honour his Father when he discovered his reall nakednesse and do they honour their Father that impute a lying and false nakednesse and cover his reall Virtues Glory by casting on foule and fained aspersions A Sonne honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master If he be a Father where is his honour Malach. 1.6.8 if he be our Mâ—ster where is his feare if this be the honour and feare goe and offer it 〈◊〉 thy Father to thy Master and see if they will take it at thy hands Nor will the after exposition serve to heale this breach by saying it was not to be extended to the maintenance of any discipline or government of the Church of England For first all the ordâ—ined Ministers of England have subscribed and sworn to the Kings Supremacy and all the doctrine of the Church of England and therefore they cannot be absolved from this lawfull Oath by any power whatsoever And Secondly though it should not be
extended to Church-Government yet it will reach to the Civill Supremacy and chiefe power of the Sword See the abovesaid Article 37. which the expresse doctrine of the Church of England avouceth to be only in the King Or thirdly how can I be then said to maintain his Estate when I take part with them that with-hold and with-draw it from him or that put him into such an Estate and condition as does exhaust and consume His Estate by maintaining an Army to guard and protect His own Person and His Loyall Subjects And hitherto of the two first Queries concerning the three Oathes of Allegiance Supremacy and Protestation now followeth the third Queere how this late Oath can consist with its own Introduction limitations and expressions First How with the Introduction viz. That there hath been and now is in this Kingdom a POPISH AND TRAITEROVS PLOT for the subversion of the true Religion c. First how can I believe this and believe the Kings Protestation to the contrary And Secondly how can I honour the King and not believe Him And thirdly how can I call it a Popish Army when the more principall part must give the denomination when it is confest and manifest that the better part by much and the greater by farre are Protestants and sworn contrary to all popish plots Secondly In declaring my sorrow for my sinnes past and purpose to amend c. How can it consist if in this very Oath I commit greater sinnes of Pride Slander Envy and all Uncharitablenesse Blasphemy Perjury and Disobedience And if the Repentance it selfe be such a sinne it is a Repentance to be repented of Againe how can it consist with the Limitation i. e. In Order to the securing the true Protestant Religion when as it is cleer by what is above said It is directly contrary to Our Protestant Religion or the Doctrine of Our Church though there may be many other strange doctrines in our Church which evidently asserts the King to be supreame over ALL Persons in ALL Causes and plainly denies any power of Armes to be used by Subjects against their King under colour of Religion Now what our Lord and Master said to one desiring him to divide the inheritance See Luke 12. We his servants may answer in the like case Man who hath made me a divider or Iudge over you If any speak to us to take up Armes to vindicate the present cause as just in raising Forces against the King Must answer and aske Who hath made 〈◊〉 Iudges over our Soveraigne Or dividers of the Kings Inheritance betwixt Him and His Subjects Especially when he hath protested so often by all that is sacred and engaged all that is deare to Him that he will maintain in and defend the true Protestant Religion and Liberty of the Subject c. Am I not rather silenced by that of Solomon My Sonne feare God and the King See Prov. 24.21 and meedle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24.21 Or are we not rather disarmed by that of our Saviour put up thy sword for he that takes the sword will perish by the sword Thirdly and lastly the Expression which is To maintain and assist all persons in whatsoever they shall doe in pursuance of the same Which is of a vast and large extent seems to maintain 1. Those that hazard and oppose the Kings Person Honour and Estate 2. Those that go contrary to the doctrine of the Church of England in taking up Armes under colour of Religion 3. And that in all which they shall doe on pursuance of the same What if I should be required to help to kill mine own Father Naturall Civill or Spirtuall if the King or my Parents or any Ministers shall oppose their Forces by word or deed it seemes I may and ought by virtue of these words In pursuance of the same assist any one that shall pursue them or any of them unto death And we have cause to feare it will be so extended when it is taken up or offered by some for good doctrine that every man ought as the Levites commanded by Moses goe out and slay every man his Brother See Exod. 32.27 29. and consecrate your selves every man upon his Sonne or upon his Brother Companion or his Neighbour if he judge him an Idolator Enimy of God which is not very hard for malice to doe And that the Levites by that severe and bloody execution did expiate their slaine of their Fathers transgression But farre be from that kakozelia to partake of the transgression of Simeon and Levi brethren in iniquity except he had the same infallible Commission and the same idolatry to oppose under an hypocriticall pretext of circúmcision and furious zeale of Religious Reformation did really affect not the conversion but the destruction not the Circumcision but excision of the Shechemites But pray we rather and conclude with the true Israel of God Oh my soule come not thou into their secret into their assemâ—â—â— mine honour be not then united Gen. 49.56.57 For in their anger they slew a man and saving their Persons cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it is Cruell 〈◊〉 them in Jacob and scatter them in Israell Amen FINIS