Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A84082
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Animadversions on a book called, A plea for non-scribers. By Ephraim Elcock.
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Elcock, Ephraim.
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1651
(1651)
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Wing E325; Thomason E636_2; ESTC R206574
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62,788
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67
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I dare withall confidently aver that the most of such are to be found in Non-scribers Folds whose Pulpit-stuffe both first and last hath been the Doctrine and perpetual infusion of slavery and wretchedness to all their Hearers that I may use the judicious censure of our Iconoclastes Et Turpe est Doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum it is such guides sin and shame that their people in the midst of such contentions for liberty are no more acquainted with the nature of it which ignorance is the cause why some remain in the infernal vassalage of a mis-informed Conscience and others sin in doing good things doubtfully How their third inducement should be taken from the manner and circumstance of engaging is more then I can see but Non-scribers say it is so in my eyes it was an Argument taken from the noxious event of engaging Non-scribers say they have heard of some perplext for engaging But hear-say is no sound proof with understanding men and if there be any such they shew more tender-heartedness to Non-scribers whose sorrow for subscription when they entred into Orders as they call it wherein they affirmed the Book of Common Prayer and of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons to contain nothing but what was agreeable to the word of God few or no men or Churches ever heard of no not though they covenanted the extirpation of Episcopacy as contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godliness Furthermore * Superstitious persons are as much troubled for neglecting any voluntary service of mans invention as if they had offended against the direct Commandement of God Dr. Sibs soules conflict c. 13. S. 2. Mr. Cotton way of Congregational Churches cleared p. 4. Plea p. 69. 70. a misinformed Conscience may feel wrack agony and anguish for that which is not really sin Mr. Bolton's recanting of his opinion concerning separate Churches Non-scribers will say was not sin yet the sin of this so dogged his Conscience that he laid violent hands on himself and I should think Conscience then to be in its greatest agony when it drives to desperation and self-murther The terrors that fall upon an erroneus Conscience for sinning against that error which it is consciencious in is no Argument to prove that whatsoever is contrary to that error is either sin or falshood Lastly they address themselves to their own dear Disciples to whom they give Councel that might be called good if they had not before taught them to call evil good and good evil Constancy in ignorance and error is so farre from being commendable that it is a high aggravation of sin where it is wilful It is the cause not the suffering that makes a Martyr They that suffer as enemies to Authority are so far from being followers of what is good that they suffer as evil doers But the Epiphonema of their Book which is also the motive they use to build up their Miriones in their obstinacy is most ridiculous Be true say they to just principles that is the Non-scribers and Dr. Ferne's and powers that is the declared King of Scots and Pattentee-Lords and ye shall not be without a King and Lord in Heaven With such sweet allusions do Non-scribers feed their Sheep and truly were they not something like the Thistle-eating beast that made the man smile who never laugh't before their lips would not endure such lettuces Rom. 13.2.6 I had rather believe Paul then all the Non-scribers in England and he tells me that he that submits not to present possessing powers that attend on the business of ruling receives to himself damnation and I must make bold to tell Non-scribers and their misled followers that if ever they come to Heaven they shall find no such Kings there as Non-scribers patronize Tophet was of old prepared for such and Hell opens its mouth upon them Isa 30.33 Isa 14.9 1 Cor. 1.26.27 as upon the Babylonian Monarch that had slain his people and very few of their kind of Lords will be there Not many Noble are called but God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty Unto which God I humbly bow my knees beseeching him who causeth light to shine out of darkness to open the eyes of Non-scribers and the seduced by them that they together with us may under the present Authority live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 And for our Nation I pray that it may long flourish under that Government which God established among his own people when he would have them best governed that it may be thankful for its great deliverance Zach. 2.5.10 and walk worthy of them that God may delight to dwell in it be a wall of fire round about it and the glory in the midst of it even so Amen FINIS
and Idolatrous house Go up and prosper The third charge they answer to is apostacy and malignancy Plea c. page 7. In answer to which they tell us That they have committed nothing against the custom of their Fathers So the Pharisees were earnest for the tradition of their Fathers they know Cyprian constuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est But those good Fathers whence they say they 're born At non ille satum quo te mentiris Achilles talis erat Virgil. The Commons never so as they did scorne If they mean Mr. Knox Learned Buchanan Mr. Calvin it will be shewed them that they walk not in their wayes but if they mean Father Maxwel with his sacro-sancta Regum Majestas and Arch-Deacon Ferne we will confess what they say to be very true They tell us that they seek and practise what they can that the people of the Land may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2.1.2 but not a word of praying for them in Authority which the Apostle points as a medium to those ends They would perswade us of their innocency in the things that are laid to their charge by these Arguments 1. Because they are hated by Malignants Incendiaries Tyrants c. And we believe them It 's natural to such to hate the Traytor though they love the Treason Besides such have revengeful hearts and let them stroke them never so much will if ever they get power remember their former oppositions their present compliance with them will not save them Plea c. page 8. 1 Kings 2 28 2. They appeal to their former actions A weak Argument Joab turned after Adonijah though he turned not after Absalom 3. To the continued tenour of them and their constant walkings some that know these Ministers think otherwise of their constancy then they do themselves Sure I am a great part of them were so constant to their first principles that they neither prayed for Divine assistance against Hamilton and his Army nor gave thanks for deliverance frō them Attestation of the Cheshire Ministers p. 30. Tales may be told how some pleaded for the expunging of a passage against that Army which is in the Cheshire Ministers Attestation And another answered one that askt why he omitted thanks for that deliverance that he knew not whether it were a mercy or no yet the Kirk◠of Scotland declared against them If this be constancy what is liberty Besides Ames de Casib Conscien lib. 3. cap. 13. Dr. Ames will tell them that to Christian constancy is required not only a perpetual continuation of the same purpose and disposition and a frequent reiteration of the same Acts but progress and proficiency also in the way of vertue The Heathens are taxed as relapsers because they withheld the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 Numb 14.22.24 and Israel as forsakers of God because they followed him not fully So there is a sort of men who in the beginning of civil Wars against Tyrants are hot and active but through sloath and unconstancy Tenure of Kings and Magistrates page 3. and weakness of spirit either fainting ere their own pretences though never so just be half attained or through an inbred falseness and wickedness betray of-times to destruction men of Noblest temper joyned with them for causes which they in their rash undertakings were not capable of and that these men are such they themselves may see if they would view their faces in the Glasse held up to them by this worthy Authour Nos interea Patrem luminum omnibus nè excaecari patiatur cor Anglicani Regis qui certè discere debebit quanta in iis quae pollicer◠potestis fides adhibenda sic Catholicis subditis quia nè se perjurio alligent malunt spiritum emittere quam vocem Introduction to the Arch Bishops Tryal page 82. to answer whose Reasons I must refer them 4. They urge their present standing out against the Engagement as an Argument of their constancy to their first principles A strange confidence hardly to be paralleld unless it be in that passage of the Popes Bull to the Catholiques of England to disswade them from the Oath of Allegiance We in the mean time will pray the Father of lights that he will not suffer the heart of the English King to be blinded who certainly ought to learn how great credit is to be given to his Catholique Subjects in the things which you can promise who rather would lose their lives then let go a word that might oblige them to perjury 5. They tell us that they are not changed but the thing called Malignity If this were so others have done but as Non-scribers themselves what they formerly called Tyranny they now call fundamental Government But Malignity is still the same as it was viz. disaffection to the Common-wealth and enmity against liberty Lastly they say the Malignants take the Engagement So they did the Covenant yet it never the worse no though Hamilton Ormond Inchiqueen Langdale said they fought for it A returning enemy is much better then a revolting Brother Lastly they say they are charged with morosity wilfulness discontent and prepossession from which they would vindicate themselves by urging their many near and dear concernments lying upon them which they will not be thought so careless of Plea c. p. 8. as not to regard if conscience would permit They know that Pharaoh had many engagements upon him by divers concernments Exodus at the beginning which might have caused him to let Israel go yet his wilfulness was such as to run him into the destruction of his people Servants and self also at the last Impotent wilfulness makes a man forget all self-interest The late King from whom they borrowed this Argument as indeed this Book of theirs makes that Image of the Beast so a * Proverbs 28.15 Luke 13.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Med. 1. page 2. King and the King of Kings all Tyrants to live and give it power to speak and threatens with death them that will not receive it he in his book saith My own and my Childrens Interests gave me many obligations to seek and preserve the love and welfare of my Subjects yet these Interests could not keep him from waging a bloody Warre against his people to satisfie his exorbitant wilfulness Plea c. p. 9. They say it is pure conscience that is their motive we wish it were so and believe it is so in some that are led by them and much pitty the credulity of such but what Conscience the leaders among them have for there are some among Ministers that pin their faith upon other mens sleeves shall be shewed hereafter in examining their grounds to which they appeal You would little think that these men that thus plead for Conscience Petition of 12500. c. page 3. were the promoters of a Petition against