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A78461 Certain considerable and most materiall cases of conscience, wherewith divers wel-affected in this kingdom are much perplexed, the cleering wherof would worthily deserve the paines of the Assembly at London. 1645 (1645) Wing C1688; Thomason E270_7; ESTC R212357 14,633 26

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friends and Countrey-men slain by the sword but unexpressible also are the calamities under which they groan that are yet alive It is with them at London as once it was with Samaria the Metropolis when time was of the Kingdom of Israel They trusted in the Mountain of Samaria a strong place and being in safety and plenty themselves they took not to heart the affliction of Ioseph that is the miseries of their Brethren and Countrey-men that lived abroad in other parts of the Kingdom and for this cause there is a sharp judgement woe be to them denounced by the Prophet Amos 6.1.6 There is no place so strong that woe may not enter and therefore O God that art the God of mercy and delightest in the prosperity of thy people give unto our Parliament a desire to be like unto thy self and to put on bowels of mercy both towards themselves and towards their miserable yea now gasping Countrey that we may accept of and be contented with and thankfull for so much as we had under the Reign of Queen Elizabeth rather then out of a desperate resolution of having more to lose all and bring a totall desolation upon the whole Kingdom XXVIII Whether they that hold the head The head of the body politick and the head of the body mysticall are justly to be persecuted by us Iob saith no These are his words Ye should say why persecute we him seeing the root of the matter is found in me Job 19.28 Nay we should say why persecute we him that is the head of the body politick and holds the head of the body mysticall the root of the matter that is the profession of the true Christian Faith being found in him The true Circumcision that is the true Children of Abraham as the Apostle doth declare Phil. 3.3 are they who worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh And this is the Religion professed by the Church of England this is the doctrine of the Church That for salvation they depend onely on Christ Jesus and have no confidence in their own works And as for those Ceremonies used by them in the externall worship of God they have no confidence in them neither nor reckon them a part of the worship This may well be esteemed to be the root of the matter though Iob indeed applies this phrase peculiarly to the faith of the Resurrection through Christ which as being a particular is comprehended in this generall of imbracing Christ by Faith with all his benefits and to slur this profession the root of the matter with the odious imputation of Popery what is it lesse then Blasphemy and to pursue the professors of this Religion with the sword as Papists though neither Papists nor Brownists for their Religion are thus to be pursued what is it lesse then a bloody prosecution of the truth XXIX Whether in the sight of God and all indifferent men they are not to be accounted factious and seditious who by the power of the sword endevour any where the subversion of the Ancient government and known Laws contrary to the will and liking of the Supream Magistrate Indeed among us at this day they that are for Peace are esteemed factious and they that are for innovation even by the sword are accounted Peaceable the strangest paradox that ever was heard of But the counsell of the Holy Ghost is this and good it is for Christians to follow his counsell Fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Pro. 24.21 The knitting together of these duties in this place is very observable for the Holy Ghost hereby shewes That they fear not God who fear not the King that one evidence of the want of the fear of God is to study or endeavour any innovation without or against the King with such he wishes us not to joyn and a reason he addes in the next verse for their calamity shall rise suddenly c. To the like purpose is that in Eccles 10.8 9. If this Scripture be Scripture still we know not how to joyn with the Parliament for an alteration against the Kings will nay besides these two places the Scripture doth frequently require subjection and forbids resistance who knows not those eminent places Rom. 13.1 2 5. Tit. 3.1 and 1. Pet. 2.13 14. We have all protessed to defend the priviledges of Parliament but that the Parliament hath any priviledge more then private men to walke contrary to the word of God or that they have any dispensation granted from walking according to Scripture rules is not yet made evident if this priviledge were once cleerly manifested we should never make any more doubt at all XXX Whether to have such thoughts as this I will go on in the way I have chosen even to the effusion of Rivers of blood though I see so many doubts doubts that seeme unanswerable though my conscience have no warrant out of Scripture for it whether this be not the resolution of a man whose salvation is desperate For the Apostle tells us that whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 and whosoever doth wilfully continue in any sin is not yet in the state of Salvation for the Lord will not be mercifull to them that offend of malicious wickednesse XXXI Whether it be not more suitable to Christian Religion safer for a Christians soul upon these grounds even to suffer under the King if he should prove Tyrant or persecuter which upon many evidences we have good cause to hope he never will and should with our Prayers endeavour to obtain he never may rather then upon no grounds but bare feares and jealousies taken up by an implicit faith pinn'd upon the sleeve of a few men not priviledged from error contrary to Gods word to Acts of Parliament to subscriptions Oathes and Vowes to Rebell against him Vpon these considerations and such like many have fallen off already from the Parliament and unlesse some cleer satisfaction be hereunto speedily given if at least any satisfactory reason may be given how we should break all these sacred bonds and not be guilty it is to be thought many more will fall off Great is the truth and will prevaile And O thou that are the God both of truth and peace direct our hearts that we may understand the truth and incline our mindes to follow those things that make for Peace yea Lord grant unto us all with setled purpose and serious resolution to walke in those wayes that are most suitable to the Gospell as knowing that those are the wayes that make most for the glory of thy name and most for the comfort of our own otherwise erring and indanger'd soules Turpe haec opprobria nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli Satius est de media via recurrere quam semper currere male Be not deceived God is not mocked Gal. 6.7 FINIS 1645.