Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A90020
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New quæres of conscience, touching the late oath; desiring resolution.
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1643
(1643)
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Wing N735; Thomason 11:E.65[5b]
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5,182
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10
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it from him 2. That put him to such an exhausting and consuming charge by maintaining an Army to guard and protect his Person and his Subjects Nor will the after Limitation serve to heal the breach of the Oath by saying It was not to be extended to the maintenance of any Form or Worship Discipline or Government of the Church of England for first all the ordained Ministers have subscribed and sworn to all the Doctrine of the Church c. and cannot be absolved from any lawfull Oath by any power whatsoever 4. Though it should not be extended to Church government yet it will reach to the Civill Supremacy and power of the sword which it avoucheth to be only in the King and not in any Subjects whatsoever Quaere IIII. How can it consist with its own Introduction id est That there hath been and now is a Popish and Traterous Plot for the subversion of the true Religion First How can I beleeve it and beleeve the Kings Protestation to the contrary Secondly And how can I honour the King and not beleeve him Thirdly How can I call it a Popish Army when the better and greater part by far are Protestants and against all Popish Plots And Expression 1 IN declaring my sorrow for my sins past and purpose to amend if in the very Oath I commit greater sins of Disobedience perjury and blasphemy then I repented of if the Repentance it self be a mockery a sin and a Transgression its a Repentance to be repented of and if the light which is in us be darknesse how great is that darknesse if the Repentance it self include a Transgression how great is that Transgression 2. How is it in order to the securing of our Protestant Religion When as it is clear by that which is above said it is directly contrary to the Doctrine of our Church which clearly assents the Kings Supremacy over all persons in all Causes and plainly denies any power of Armes to be used by Subjects against the King under colour of Religion Besides what our Lord answered for himself Luk. 12. we his servants may follow him to the like offers Quis constituit me divisorem super vos when one desired him to speak to his Brother to divide the inheritance he answered Man who hath made me a divider or judge over you if any speak to us to take up Armes Quaere Who hath made me a Judge over my Soveraigne When he hath protested by all that is sacred That he will defend the true Protestant Religion and Liberty of the Subject c. Who hath made me a judge over his heart to sit in Gods Tribunall or who hath made me a divider betwixt the King and his two Houses of Parliament or who hath made me a Defender of the faith by any power coercive or force of Sword Am I not rather excluded from it by our Saviour He that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword ¶ How can it consist with former Oaths Viz. To maintain the Kings Person honor and estate and all and every person in order to the Protestation in whatsoever they shall doe in pursuance of the same And yet assist to the utmost of my power First Those that hazard his Person honor and Estates 2. those that go contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in taking up Armes against the King under colour of Religion in all that they shall doe in pursuance of the same What if I should be required to kill my own father naturall civill or spirituall my Soveraign my Parents my Pastours if they shall oppose their force by word or deed and maintain the Kings Cause against them and all this may be encluded in pursuance of the same and we haue cause to fear it is so intended or may be on occasion extended when it is taken by some I fear for good doctrin That every man may consecrate his hand and fall upon his brother if he judge him an Idolater And that the tribe of Levi by that severe execution did expiate their slain of the Fathers Transgression in their bloody excision of the Sechemites circumcision Perhaps the comparison holds in part in their furious zeal of Simeon and Levi who under an hypocriticall pretext of Religion and Circumcision wrought the utter destruction and excision of the Shechemites Which made Jacob complain You have troubled me and made me to stink among c. Gen. 49.5 Simon and Levi Brethren in evill O my Soul come not thou into their Counsell id est Secret and into their Assembly my honour be not united Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruell I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Woe to them that draw iniquity with Cords of Vanity and Sin as it were with Cart-ropes Isai 5.18 28. Chrysostome As children pulling a rotten Rope at both ends contrary-wayes at last it breakes and both fall and break their heads and legges So in a doubtfull Twisted Oath rotten and unsound when contrary parts pull severall wayes or when Conscience holds one way and worldly affection pulls another way The Cord or Oath breaks and both sides fall into a Gulf of perdition The one by provoking the Oath the other by breaking the Oath Conscience falls one way and breakes his peace World pulls and falls another way and breaks his credit The Spirit of a man would sustein his infirmities but a wounded Spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 Hear Saint Chrysostomes suit and request to his flock This I now ask and well never leave asking That whensoever any is about to swear Let 's take John Baptists head and with loud cries shew it and cry out against Oaths and imagine you heard that tongue yet speaking as the voice of a Cryer Hate and abhor an Oath my Murderer For what my reproof could not effect an Oath did And what a Tyrants fury could not doe that a necessity of Perjury effected Hee that once heard him gladly and did many things and reverenced his Sanctity now murdered him cruelly and that by vertue of an Oath for two causes First For his Oaths sake Secondly For Companies sake id est in pursuance of his Oath he cuts off the head of a Saint worth the whole world NOw let those who are already intangled with this unhappy Covenant judge rightly of Herods Case Whether it had not been much better to have violated his rash Oath and confessed his folly in making it before all that were present then so bloodily to have kept it Let them remember the Schoole Doctrine No man can be so immur'd or inclosed betwixt two sins but he may find the way out without a third If it be a deadly crime to keep such an Ooth it can be no sin to break it Wee see the Israelites found a way to evade their severe vow against the Benjamites not to give them their daughters Judg. 21.21 and it is not laid to their charge We read of the peoples delivering Jonathan out of Sauls hand notwithstanding his fathers vow to put him to death 1. Sam. 14.45 And neither the people are blamed for so doing nor Saul taxed for yeelding to the people What need more be said when we finde David himself repenting of his rash Oath to destroy the houshold of Nabal the Carmelite 1. Sam. 25.34 How many Christians in the Primitive time may we read of that having once abjured their Saviour repented and turned again and were crowned with Martyrdom How many of later dayes that notwithstanding they have once subscribed and sworn against the Protestant Doctrine yet have lamented their inconstancy and suffered death valiantly in defence of it It is a most certain Rule that in rash Oaths poenitenda promissio non perficienda praesumptio The promise ought to be repented of presumption ought not to be executed And in unjust and wicked ones such as this Covenant Injusta vincula rumpat justitia Unjust and unrighteous fetters let Righteousnes burst asunder FINIS Oxford Printed for William Web. 1643.
New Quaeres OF CONSCIENCE Touching the late OATH Desiring Resolution Q. How it consists with 1. The threefold conditions of an Oath in generall of Truth Iudgement Righteousnes Jer. 4.2 2. The threefold Oath taken in particular Viz. of 1. Allegiance 2. Supremacy 3. Protestation 3. Their own introduction Limitation in speciall in order to the security and preservation of the True Reformed Protestant Religion I. Quaere How it consists with the three Conditions of an OATH 1. OF Truth which excludes falshood doublings fictions mentall evasions aequivocations and reservations and requires simplicity and sincerity according to the sense and purpose of the imposer 1 Liquide jurare 2. Of judgement not unadvisedly lightly or wantonly to satisfie the times to comply with great persons for advantage or carnall securitie not upon a Popish implicite faith but to let every man be perswaded in his own minde that it be grounded upon a necessary Cause and taken soberly advisedly discreetly reverently and in the fear of God 3. Of Righteousnesse That it be not to the prejudice of my Neighbour Hee that takes it with his private Reservation inconsistent with the Sense and purpose of the Oath offends against the first He that takes it for favour of men offends against the second He that takes it out of emulation and rage to the dammage of his Brother offends against the third For these Causes D. Augustine concludes Falsa juratio exitiosa est vera juratio periculosa nulla juratio secura False swearing is pernitious True swearing is dangerous no swearing is secure Ser. 28. de verb. Apost By an ancient Law of the Church No man was to be sworn but fasting Quaere II. How can it consist with the Oath 1 OF Supremacy For if he be once supream over all persons in all causes Ecclesiasticall and Temporall how can I swear to subject him or bring him under any person in any Cause whatsoever and though the chief occasion of that Oath was upon the Popes pretending jurisdiction yet the intention and extention was to shut all his Subjects under the same condition of Obedience 2 Of Allegiance For I am bound First To defend the King and his Successours to the uttermost of my power against all Treasons Conspiracies against his Person Crown and dignity Secondly To doe my best endeavour to reveal all Conspiracies I know or hear against him or any of them and Third That no person whatsoever hath power to absolve me of the Oath and All which seem to be endangered by taking up Armes against him or his life-guard or the forces raised by him 3. Of the late Protestation in regard of a double seeming Contradiction For I promise vow and protest to maintain the Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England But this assertion That in my Conscience I do beleeve that the Forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament are raised and continued for their just defence and for the defence of the true Protestant Religion seems to contradict the Protestant Religion Doctrin of our Church For though there be many strange Fancies and doctrines in the Church of England yet there is but One expresse Doctrine of the Church of England and that is conteined in the 39 Articles and Book of Common Prayer to which all the regular Clergy must subscribe and are confirmed by an Act of Parliament Now one Protestant point of our Religion expressed in the Doctrine of this Church is in the 37 Article Viz. 1. The Kings Majesty hath the Chief power id est supremacy in this Realme of England unto whom the Chiefe gouernment of All Estates of this Realme whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill in all Causes doth appertaine To Rule All estates and degrees committed to his charge and to restrain with the sword the Stubborne and evill doers which hee cannot doe if the Sword or Militia bee taken from him 2. That a man may take up Armes when the Magistrate id est Supream power commandeth 3. That a man may sweare when the Magistrate requires in a cause of Faith and Charity Implying that no man ought to sweare take solemne Oathes or Beare Armes without the injunction of the supreame Magistrate 4. That the two Books of Homilies containes a godly and wholsome Doctrine and are to be read in Churches by the Ministers not only reading Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understood of the people 5. Homil. 21. Against Rebellion That it is not lawfull for Subjects to raise up Armes against their Soveraigne under colour of Religion Eccles 4.12 A threefold cord is not easily broken except by such as furiously rage together and lightly imagine a vain thing By Rulers that take Counsell together against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their Cords from us But he that sits in Heaven laughs them to scorne the Lord shall have them in derision And yet will I set my King upon his holy hill of Sion Hee will bruise them with a rod of iron and Be wise therefore and kisse the Son lest he be angry Psal 2.1 2 3. Quaere III. How can it consist with the Protestation in the second particular Against all Popish Innovations within the Realm c. For to takâ— up Armes in Case of Religion against the supream Power is a plain Popish Jesuiticall Innovation taught and maintained by them in this last age And in the third particular For I vow and protest to maintain with my life power and estate according to the duty of my Allegiance his Maiesties 1. Power 2. Honour 3. Estate Now the Quaere is How can I maintain 1. HIS Person with my life power and estate if I swear To assist an army of men which he declares as is thought by many pious and judicious men to be utter enemies to his life honour and estate Or how can I maintain 2. His Honour when by the Oath I professe not onely in my heart and thought to curse him contrary to the word of God Eccles 10.20 Exod. 22.28 but openly wirh my mouth to blaspheme him and in effect say which is Nefandum He is an utter enemy of Gods true Religion a violator of all sacred Vowes Oaths Bonds and Covenants And shall I yet say I maintain his honour Am I thus presumptuous to judge him and not afraid to speak evill of Dignities and yet maintain his Honour or the Protestant Religion Did Cham honour his father when he discovered his nakednesse And doe they honor their father that cover and extinguish his vertues and glory and cast aspertions of disgrace and calumny upon him Would such Honour be taken of the Father from his children of the servant from his master Go and offer that honour to thy Father thy Master thy Governour and see if hee will take it at thy hands Mal. 1.6.8 Or how can I maintain 3. His Estate when I take part with them that withhold and withdraw