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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	death_n	life_n	sin_n	9,880	5	5.5192	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91787	An ansvver to the London ministers letter: from them to his Excellency & his Counsel of VVar; as also an answer to John Geree's book, entituled, Might overcomming right; with an answer to a book, entituled, The Armies remembrancer. Wherein it appears the accusations of the Army are unjust, and the Armies proceedings justified by the Word of God, and by the light of nature and reason. Also a discovery of that learning, and ordination these ministers have, and the vanity and insufficiencie thereof, by the Word of God, and that those are the things with which they delude and deceive the people. / By Samuel Richardson.	Richardson, Samuel, fl. 1643-1658.	1649 (1649)	Wing R1402; Thomason E540_8; ESTC R203398	36,328	40

because God doth in expresse words commend it and reward it v. 11. 12. 13. you use to say it is an extraordinary cause but the Scripture saith not so therefore it s but an extraordinary put off so shift your hands of it tell us how we shall know when we have such an extraordinary cause that we may do so in that cause the Lord doth not say he did well because he was a Magistrate and had jurisdiction and cloathed with authority but he was zealous for his God ought not the Army as well as others to be zealous for God But if after that act of Phineas so such act could be lawfull why is this act of his Recommended to all Generations for evermore Psal. 106. 30. 31. God had appointed such parsons as he slew to death the Magistrate did not do Justice therefore God sent the Plague among the people he knew none else would do it all ealse refusing it fell to be his duty and he did it and the plague ceased and it is recorded for after generations for a righteous act this is the Armies cause and though you condemn it we passe not so long as Gods word warrants it and shall be a righteous act to all Generations for evermore wisdom is justified of her Children I am no Magistrate it belongs not to me to passe sentence upon any man much lesse to put him to death but suppose I be set upon in my journey so as I see not how I can scape with my life but I must kill or be killed now the cause is altered I may murther him as you call it and the Law saith it s no murther I had sinned if I had not done it for that Law that requires me to preserve my Neighbours life bids me preserve my own first charity is to begin at home though not to end there upon this ground if the cause were the same there be them that would put no difference between a Priest and another man 7 If God discover his Will to men and give them hearts and opportunities wisedome and power to doe it it s there calling and commission to doe it I know no calling that I have to take care and provide provision and cloaths for another mans wife Besides it is not of good report but rather a scandall to doe it but suppose her Husband cannot or will not nor any else provide them for her and she cannot help her selfe now the cause is altered I must be mercifull and if I be able to help to provide those things for her and if I suffer her to perish will it not be my sinne also This is the cause of the Kingdome the King should have help't c. but did not then it became the duty of the Parliament to have releeved the Kingdome but they did not her necessities great and many Petitions concerning th●● were sleighted and burnt waited many yeares for help our oppressions not removed all complaine dangers increase no remedy appeares they not help us nor tell us how long it will be before this Parliament will be at an end that we may have another to see if they will help us when all failes no ground of hope of life is left danger eminent and no other meanes of help left this is a cause of necessity Now it 's the duty of the Army to help and if they had not it had been their sinne if not their overthrow if they had suffered it to perish the Kingdome had been well holpen up with a remedy in extremity If the Army had been as the Priest and Levit that allowed no help to the man this the wounded and dying Kingdom I would if I could have done it my selfe alone and not aske no leave God requires me to doe all the good I can to my selfe and others if I can doe good without man I will not ask his leave I need not suppose I see one a robbing of another or hath taken his Cloake c. from him I will require him to give it him againe if he will not if I can I will take it by force and give it the owner If he or any say You are out of your Calling what and who gave you commission to meddle with me So long as I doe that which is just I passe not for such words it is my duty as a man and as a Christian to releeve the oppressed and doe what good I can if I were able I would quickly remove all the oppressions in this Kingdom and the next and if I could the next to that and I should sinne if I did not doe it Who gave Cromwell Commission to doe so much good as he did in Scotland I doubt that the old Cavise and the new ones the Priests are unsatisfied scrupeled and very much doubt of his call into Scotland c. 8 The Army had a cleare call to doe what they did according to the London Ministers Principle as appeares clearly from their owne confession they say A necessity of a Letter must be framed to the Generall c. but observe upon what grounds they make it appeare they have a call from God to doe so We apprehend our selves obliged thus to appear for the maintenance of and setling the Government of the Kingdom to testifie our utter dislike and detestation it is most apparent to us your way and practice is unlawfull and irrigular in zeale for Gods glory we have discharged our duty This is in their Judgements and Conscience a cleare call so that if the Army can say the same things they have the same call they have I should be heartily sorry if they had no better call then the Ministers whose Conscience I appeale to whether if they had power in their hands to reforme all things that in their Consciences are amisse whether they doe not judge that they ought to doe it and should sinne if they did not doe it though they are no Magistrates if they say ye then they justifie the Army for they doe but according as they are perswaded by God in his Word and their owne Conscience if they say no if I did beleeve them I am perswaded their judgements would change the very first day that the power comes in their hands 9 The Army had an expresse command of God to warrant their not disbanding and ceazing on the Members and the sixth Command injoynes that they should doe no murder this generall command comprehends all the particulars under it by way of precept are injoyned I must doe no murder therefore 〈◊〉 must use all the meanes of the preservation of my life and my Neighbours but the ceazing on these Members is a meanes of preventing this evill I see disbanding and permission of these Members is inconsistent to the safety of our lives and others by the Law of Nature every one is to use all lawfull meanes to preserve himselfe and others the blame must rest on them that caused it that is these Parliament Men

them in and keep out the enemy and if he doeth it he hath broak the Letter of the Law but kept the substance of the Law if he had observed the Letter he had not kept the intent of it Suppose the Magistrate find fault with him for not doing as he bid him it 's without a cause he hath done no hurt but good in saving their lives who are without lyable to perish and so did the Army in not disbanding had the Army been a cause of their owne and our sufferings and they had lost the fruit of all their victories if they had laid downe their Armes some others would have taken them up You have ingaged your selves by Oath to preserve his Majesties Person and priviledge of Parliament this is most cleare that no necessity can justifie perjury or dispense with lawfull oathes the bond and tie of an Oath and Covenant is religious and sacred and invincible who will require it at your hands broken Ezek. 17. 14. And necessity cannot dispense with an oath nothing can give one leave to be forsworne an oath is of an absolute indispensible authority If what you say be true are you not perjured miserably forsworne have you forgot what you have sworn covenanted Canonicall obedience c. But of this more when you write againe Secondly You take that for granted which is to prove we deny they are forsworn your saying so is no proof we are willing to put it to the triall and able to prove the contrary The Oath Covenant is to be interpreted according to his sense that gave it and not in his sense that tooke it this you would have but it 's not lawfull to grant it it is not to be interpreted neither in his sense that gave it nor in his that takes it but according to the expresse words of the Covenant If it were granted to either to put what sense they thought fit they might sweare one thing and do another if he intends it to inslave If a Presb●ter give or take the Covenant he thinks he sweares to maintaine Presbyterian Government of which there is not the least word mentioned in the Covenant there is mention of a government according to the Word of God and that is not their Presbytery by their own confession The Assembly of Divines confesse it is not jure divino I am mistaken if they did not sweare the government of Archbishops was agreeable to the Word of God but the Presbytery is the nearest to it if so be but neare to it then it is not it In the Scriptures is prescribed a Government for the Church the House of God Presbytery they say is not it but neare to it If then Presbyterian government had in expresse words been in the Covenant and I had taken it I could with a good conscience have broke my oath for that oath that is not lawfull to take is not lawfull to be kept it is not lawfull for me to sweare to maintain a government for Christs that is not his though it be never so neare it or like it But say they we swore to maintain that government that is according to the best reformed Church for each of theirs is the best in their judgments and consciences els I should wonder if they should approve and practise contrary to their consciences yea and he that denieth all Church-government may take the Covenant without scruple because the Covenant expresses none and he believes there is none and when he seeth which it is he will owne it and defend it and before it is unreasonable to expect it from him I wonder the Priests should so take the Covenant for the text and preach so on it there is nothing in that which is so cleer to them what is plainly expressed they cannot agree how the words are to be read the Priests read to protect the person of the King and there make such a full stop and go no further others say they must read on and take with it in the defence maintenance and protection of the King in his just Rights and what they are men cannot agree Some say his just Rights are to be King others say he hath lost all his just Rights others say it is his just right to lose his life the Covenant resolves this not I cannot tell what are his just Rights nor can learn what the Covenant meanes or requires I must leave it to the Schollers and those that can tell The like may be said for the other branches of the Covenant If an oath be indispensable then persons must sin rather then break it and then the vow of single life binds be the cause what it will and so if any have sworn to murder a thousand persons or more it seems they must do it is not this the Popes Doctrine to murder Kings and others which is to be detested That an oath binds more then the Law of God we deny and put you to prove it Is there not the highest authority in Gods commands can any thing bind us more then his commands yet ye see Matth. 12. 1 to 7. they are dispensible You say an oath is part of the worship of God if it be but a part of it it is not more then the whole also Gods worship must give place to acts of mercy and love I will have mercy 〈◊〉 not sacrifice Hosea 6. 6. Mal. 12. 7. it was lawfull to neglect the publike worship and command of God to give suck c. in that they were not blamed for not going to Jerusalem to worship though all were commanded to goe thither No necessity is sufficient to dispense with a morall Law is it not a morall duty to worship God swearing is a part of instituted worship but meerly naturall or morall as you call it wee need not bee inforced to doe that which is naturall an oath that is detrimentall to a particular Law must bee kept Psal. 15. 4. I grant it if it bee in that or the like cause but not in all causes that can be named for what is not lawfull to sweare is not lawfull to be done because they have sworn to doe it No hunger can make stealing no stealing Proverbs chap. 6. vers. 30. Wee allow not men when they are hungry to take that which is not their owne yet wee say that which in it selfe is stealing may lawfully bee done without sin if the hunger be of that extremity as to indanger life and no other help or remedy can be had then it is not stealing yet restitution is to be made to affirme it is stealing is to maintain that a man may sin to save his life if I ought to break the Oath I am not forsworne to do it when two duties come together at one time and I cannot do both the one for that present ceaseth to be a duty this was Davids cause it eating the Shew-bread no man may tell a lye nor commit any sin to save his life and that men

inconvenientie should not cause persons to bee Controulers of Magistracy What no inconveniency If so we must then quietly and contentedly suffer our selves to be destroyed The pleae of necessity is of the lesse weight in your cause because we feare the ends you ayme at are no more justifiable then the meanes you use the necessity pleaded is either meerely pretended or at least contracted by your owne miscariage who made you a Judge of evill thoughts as for the necessitie and the meanes they use its justifiable by the word this is above answered Power of executing is committed to the Army to execute the uncontroulable Decree of Parliament then the Ministers shall Decree the House confirme and the Army be the Executioners Are not the two last highly promoted If the Parliament had not done well the Army should not have upheld it in dead waies the Charge being true but how could that be known seeing none but themselves must judge besides how is it lawfull for them to leave them seeing as you say they are sworne servants not onely for 7 years but for ever and they must obey them therefore if they had left them the exceptions might have been the same It had been nobly done of the Army to have laid downe their Commission then should we have had our Government set up in full power They that resist Authority the Power resist the Ordinance of God shall receive to themselves damnation The golden coard of Government broken asunder the honour of Magistracy laid in the dust what threatnings against them that oppose Gods Ordinance Jude 8. manifest opposite to lawfull Authoritie God hath set over us it was the Armies sinne and Rebellion in not disbanding at the Parliaments command By these and the like Scriptures ye wrest and pervert the Scripture are we to obey Authority because they command it or because of the goodnesse of that they command if the first for that is your charge or voting the other we grant why are the people reproved for obeying Mica 6. 15. 16. Hos. 5. 11. If it be sufficient that the Authority command it it was not their sinn in obeying or if the Magistrate hath power over our bodies then the 3. children sinned in not bowing to Nebuchadnezars Image as he commanded by this rule we may sin if the Authority command it if we must be subject to them as not to oppose the will of those in Authority in no cause then if they set the Kingdome on fire and will have it burnt we must not offer to quench it but suffer it to be burnt into ashes nor never question them for it if they are not accountable If the command must be lawfull I demand who must judge of the unlawfullnesse of it if ye say the Magistrate then the cause is the same with the former if ye say he that is to obey it is to judge of the lawfullnesse of that he is to do it is fit he should why then do ye cry out of sin for not doing that they do not see to be lawfull neither is it sufficient that the thing commanded be in the nature of it lawfull for one circumstance may make it unlawfull to eat meat is lawfull yet God forbids the eating of it when my weak brother is offended at it Suppose the Magistrate command me to eat it though he be offended if he do I may not eat it unlesse I may prefer Man before God if you say God commands me to obey Authority and that I sin if I do not do it I deny that I am in this cause bound to obey the Magistrate though the thing be in it self lawfull man cannot bind when God will have us free also if that he hath power in such things then he may take away and restrain me from indifferent things and take away my liberty which were to set up Gods own commanding things absolutely necessary the other in things indifferent how then shall I stand just in the liberty wherein Christ hath made me free Gal. 5. 1. We are tied to do what they should command more then because they command it the Magistrates power reacheth not to all civill things it 's my liberty when to eat and what I shall eat when I shall go to bed and when to rise and what couler my cloathes shall be and no man may bind wherein God would have us free nor can they make any part of Gods Word to cease to blind and be of no force to me which before their command was of force to us unlesse he can dispense with the Law of God If the Parliament require me to betray the Liberties of the People I know he hath no power from God to command me any such thing because it 's injurious to my neighbour and contrary to the Law of Nature which requireth not to do nor consent nor permit that which is destructive to others though Magistrates are a lawfull authority it 's a right stamp but if the metall be not that it should I will not take it unlesse it be good metall as well as good coyne that we should be subject to the wills of men in commands not convenient that we should sin and defile our selves and incur damnation because we will not sin is strange Doctrine which the Bible never knew it 's lawfull for the Magistrate to bid me run a horse but if in the place children are so scattred that I see I cannot do it with safety I had better break his command then murder or hurt children and if he would do it I ought to stop him God saith Let every one be fully perswaded in his owne mind I am to judge of the lawfulnesse and expediency of that which I am to do for all things may be lawfull that are not expedient so much as a thing is not expedient it 's unlawfull the Army were not satisfied that it was for their owne and the Kingdomes safety for them to disband at that time if they had but doubted of the lawfullnesse thereof they should not do well to disband unlesse we are more strictly tyed to the command of men then to Gods but many reasons haue been given that it was not safe or best for them so to do therefore the Army are not to be blamed but commended for what they have done unlesse it be lawfull for them to do that which tends to their owne and the Kingdomes destruction if you say then they should suffer I deny it but more of this anon Moreover it may so fall out that one may break the Letter of the Law and keep the Law if he observe the intent of it as Mal. 10. 1. to you the intent of the Law is more the Law then the letter of it Suppose he that keeps the Gates of the City is commanded not to open them without their order to keep out the enemy he seeth betwixt the Gates and the Camp some differences and strives and it 's evident to him he can let

should take such oathes as are so intricate and disputable I would see Scripture for I read an ●ath is to put an end strife but not to begin one that I may swear what I shall do for the future is not so clear as some would have it if it be a duty a restriction is as perfect or included as this you grant I may swear I will protect and defend the Magistrates person c. but not in evill if he after set upon me to rob and kill me in the high-way I will kill him rather then be killed the Law counts this no murder if this be granted the whole argument is granted For he is as much a Magistrate in the high-way as in another place and if he may be resisted in evill in one place more then in another In small matters therefore in greater if men binde themselves by oath it concernes every one to take heed what they do to have a good ground for taking them and great heed lest they break them It is no slight matter to doe and undoe if lawfull it is a sin to break it if unlawfull it was a sin to make it I heartily wish that men were more backward in taking them and more forward in keeping them if they can can keep them without sin if lawfull to sweare and not to keep it is a great aggravation Remonstrating against proceedings of Parliament if it be your duty to Remonstrance against the just proceedings of the Army why may not they Remonstrance against evill proceedings wickednesse in high places is worst of all and most dangerous Moses calling it a gathering together against the Lord and warnes the people to avoid their company Numb. 16. after the earth opened and swallowed them up we have more cause to say the same of you we do seriously beseech you to recede from these evill waies and content your selves within your own bounds put none in feare we say the same to you if you persist in these wayes your sin shall find you out if ye suffer as busie bodies in other mens matters this is fitly applied to your selfe who daily persist to stir up the people to sedition it concernes those in Authority to prevent it whom I earnestly beseech not to suffer you in the Pulpits to meddle with matters Civill or that which concerns the State it is like the simple that beleeveth every word will beleeve you to their owne ruin it is a cause of conscience to maintain those I judge enemies and whether if I looke upon you to be so I ought not to proceed further I hope they will take an order with you but for liberty to print I wish you as much liberty as any the more you print the more your wickednesse will appeare three of you have written against the Army and it is one and the same thing you all sing one song if not in the same words you have spit all your poison you cannot say no more then is in the Armies remembrances against them we aske you no favour be silent in the Pulpit and do your worst you require proof of the spirits falling upon the multitude of persons to act contrary to manifest Precepts you would have them prove your notion I dare say they never said no such thing much lesse alledged it to prove their practice do you present this to make them odious be not deceived God is not mocked they who have usurped authority seldome or never promoted publike weale or libertie who knowes what the Armies designe may come to you do not know therefore if any aske you say you cannot tell we know no usurpers of Authority but the Presbyters all this life is for their unworthy interest one of you said in Sion Colledge they would rather side with the Kings party the Army for then your Government will be a going on but the Army of Sects would not do any thing for your Government before I heard it I thought somthing was the matter when I heard that you spake the language of the old Cavees now it is apparent to all that know you that you that oppose the proceedings of the Army are possessed with the same spirit they are The Armies Principles are wicked they that have the power is to judge what will follow This will follow that Masters will take account of their Servants what worke they doe this is the conclusion we see it was needfull to have a President right or wrong he that hath the longest sword will judge if these Ministers judge and determine and pronounce the sentence the curse what would they do if they had the power in their hands we dare not say the blessing of the Lord be upon you there is not any that I know desire you to say so we know it is little worth they have had your blessing have not prospered the blessing of God is upon them God hath blessed them and they shall be blessed now are the faces of Gods servants covered with shame and their hearts filled with sorrow and like to become a scorne and reproach to all the Christian world our hearts rejoyce in what they have done you judge your selves godly confusion prophanenesse irreligion now is Religion made to stinke by reason of your miscarriages unwarrantable courses this belongs to you When they have done their work he will visit them with his loving kindnesse and send for them home It was once a crime of the highest nature to indeavour the subversion of fundamentall Lawes it was not the Parliaments purpose to overthrow the fundamentall constitution of the government of the Kingdome or to give power to any to do it if they would have taken away bad ones and given us better they had not done us any hurt is the purposes of men Lawes and Rules to themselves and others if no why do ye urge it if ye deny it and if you please to try what truth is in it 1. It is a breach of priviledge to arest and imprison a Member of Parliament it is contrary to Law he is an enemy to the State I grant it in a cause of a particular debt the intent of the Law is good to prefer the publike before a particular better one person suffer then the Kingdome for they are many it is the priviledge to the State for the Members freely to sit if this be the intent of the Law the Army kept this Law for they preserved the publike before particular persons it is a priviledge to the Kingdome for the Parliament to sit and do them good for to that end they were sent to sit but if their sitting doeth the Kingdome mischiefe then it is priviledge to the people to hinder their sitting reasons undeniable have been given to prove the truth of this namely that their sitting tended to the destruction of the Kingdome therefore in hindering them they have kept the Law and done good service to the Kingdome therefore the Kingdome are beholding to them for

suffer my selfe to be killed or robbed if I can help it Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeves every one loveth gifts and seeketh after rewards they judge not the Fathe●lesse neither doth the cause of the Widow come unto them Esay 1. 23 24. That were to take away the opportunity of Martyrdome not to suffer its rashnesse selfe murder to dye if I can help it either by strength or escape to preserve my selfe is a duty and a sinne to neglect it You say you are against murdering of Kings if you be for murthering of other mens I should oppose you in that for I hold it not lawfull to murder any man no more doe I beleeve doe they So you say They are trecherous persidious unjust and their dissimulation is without comparison to all your hard words and railing accusations for answer see Jud. 9. 14 15 c. The King demanded but 5. Members a small number to those secluded by you and it was voted Treason a breach of priviledge but this of the Armies seizing on so many is worse the 5. were unjustly accused these justly therefore the King did ill and the Army well these were let alone long enough if they should have let them alone hoping they would do better what help had we if they proved otherwise what good have they done us can a Blackamore change his skin no nor can they that are accustomed to do ill do well forsake the foolish and live Eccles. 4. 13. if they had not then seized on them they might for ought they knew misse their time and proved two late there was no reason to put it off to the adventure when we may be sure and freed from the feare and danger itself you judge the seizing on them to be unjust and unlawfull but we judge it just and lawfull you would have them to be let alone we believe their liberty is the destruction of the people of God and the Kingdom you alow us no remedy in no cause of danger to help our selves we believe it is against Nature Reason and Religion to have away of preserving our selves and not to take it and that it is not wisdom to chuse that way that is least safe A prudent man foreseeth the evill and hides himself that is he useth meanes to escape it its wisdom and prudence to foresee an evill and prevent it but the simple passe on and is punished he believes all will be well and he is punished Proverbs 23. 3. I know what we call good you call evill and what we call evill you call good therefore so let it rest till you have the longest sword and then we will give you leave to deside it the longest sword you know is ever Orthodox in whose hand soever it is They cast contempt upon the Parliament they do not nor need not cast none upon them nor change them with any thing but that which is true and knowne to the Kingdome long before threatening to put a period to the PARLIAMENT Would you have them continue perpetually if they should be let alone they would have sat untill themselves had been destroyed and the people ruined it s a great grief to you that this Parl. on which you have bestowed so much falsities and flatteries for so many yeares together to convert them into Presbytery that they should be removed put to a period before they have effected your designe of setting up Presbytery withall the Iron instrument and monopolized all the living and preaching into your hands it grieves you to the very heart because nothing lesse can satisfie your scruples and where to have it now you know not but be content it s well ye may scape be quiet seeing you are Cavies and are possessed with the same ipirit that is in the worst Malignant and spit as bad poyson The Parliament put the sword into their hands not to destroy themselvers but the Kings party and enemies of the State then they gave them Commission to destroy themselves for those they seazed on if not all the most of them proved both Therefore instead of seazing on them they might have destroyed them by the authority of the Parliament the Kingdom do not approve of what you doe its like they will when they understand it see the fruit of it seing God approves of it if the high Caves the Presbiter and the low Caves the Malignants descent we are content the best I doubt not but will be satisfyed Sins against the City in marching through it with bayes in their hates Why not through the City as through another place What sin call you this In what place of the Bible may I read that this is a sin taking the Tower puting in a new Lievtennant c. Who might better do it then the Generall Impeaching and imprisoning some Aldermen c. the great Cavies must suffer as well as the poor ones Would you have them not to be punished Or would you have as many punishments one lesser then another as there are degrees of riches honour and greatnes takeing away the Sheriffe It had beene better for the City if it had fewer such Members unreasonable demands of mony in such summes none judge it unreasonable but Cavies ignorant and corrupt men against the Kingdom by taxes and free quarter ye see to starve the Army is agreeable to the judgement and conscience of the Presbyter Is it unreasonable for them to eate or to require the mony that is their due to keep them little sums will not maintain a great Army the Army had not now had a being if it had not been for you and your brethren the Cavies and then they would have had no taxes sums nor freequarter the enemies of the Army judge all the army hath is to much if the Presbyter were to set down the sum it should be a little one if any at all It s like if there sums had bin denyed I would have given my consent that they should have fetched it and if they be hungry and cannot get victualls that they should come into our houses and take it whether we will or no and I believe it is as lawfull as it was for David to enter into the house of God and eate that which was not lawfull for him to eate Do not think you will approve of this doctrine but I care not whether you do or no so long as God doth as you may see Matt. 12. 1. 2. 3. 4. Iudg. 11. 20. 21. Possessing your selves of the gates of the City the City is beholding to them for that it was an act of love if they had not done it its like they feared they would have killed one another or effected the destruction of the City decay of trade Who have undone the Kingdom and caused so much losse of bloud and treasure and decay of trade as the King and his party the Bishops and their Priests Mr. Presbyter c. must be considered in this worke Who