A JUST and RIGHTEOUS PLEA Presented unto the King of England AND HIS COUNCIL c. BEING The true State of the present Case of the People called QVAKERS Truly demonstrated and Justly pleaded on their behalf For the True Information of the KING and his COUNCIL That they may well understand the Truth and Verity of Doubtful Cases and may shew Just Judgment and Mercy And this is laid down in Six Particulars Viz 1. Concerning Swearing at all and particularly of the Oath of Allegiance 2. Concerning Meeting together to Worship God 3. Concerning Tythes among the Jewes and among the Christians and why we Refuse to pay them at this day 4. Concerning giving Security by Bond to live Peaceably or to Answer Accusations then and there c. 5. Concerning Government it self and particularly of this present Government 6. Concerning Persecution what it is in it self and how great an Enemy it is to the King and his Government laid down in Ten Particulars All which Cases are truly stated and pleaded And the Cause of the Innocent vindicated And this for the benefit of the King and his Government that they may be Just and Righteous and perfectly according to God By a Friend to Just Authority Edw. Borroughs The Epistle to the King and his Council OH Friends this is your Day that God hath given you to try you and to prove you what you will do and whether you will rule and judge and exercise your Power for God or against him and this is the hour of your tryal and the living God that made Heaven and Earth beholds you and his Eye is upon you and he waits for Iustice true Iudgment Mercy Righteousness and Truth to be brought forth by you in the Land that he might blesse you and prosper you but and if the contrary be abounding and brought forth and exercised thorow you Blessings shall be turned into a Curse and the Iust God will deal with you after your deserts for the Reward of the Almighty is Iust and Equal unto all the sons of men even according to their wayes and works and the Iudgment of you nor of any is determined by Him but accordingly as He is served obeyed and feared or the contrary And seeing you have a day to do good and to forsake all evil to do Iustice Mercy and Truth in the Earth and to subdue the contrary if that you do the things you ought not and leave undone what God requires of you to do and trifle away your time in matters of lesse value and spend your dayes in Pleasures Vanities and neglect Mercy and Iudgment in the Earth and have no regard to the Cry of the Poor and the Oppressed to deliver them from their cruel Persecutions if it be thus with you in this your day Who shall stand in the Gap to prevent the Anger of the Lord from breaking out or who shall plead for you in the day of your reward when God himself ariseth unto Iust Iudgment to judge all flesh and to deliver the Innocent Oh Friends is this nothing to you Is there no cause unto you of Consideration in this matter Ought you not to lay these things to heart Why surely you are but men and your breath is in your nostrils and your substance but dissolvable clay and the God of Heaven and Earth can do what he will with you and concerning you if ye please him it might be well with you but if the contrary he can answer you doings with an equal reward and none can prevent him And here is a Cry and a very great Cry of Persecution under your Authority the Prisons filled with Vpright and Innocent persons to the ruine of Persons Wives and Families if the great Mercy of the Lord did not prevent more than the Iustice of men Thousands within these few months have been cast into Goals and Dungeons and nasty holes and divers have finished their lives and dyed in Prisons many being taken out of their houses and from their lawful Callings and many taken out of Meetings where they have been waiting upon God and cruel Sufferings inflicted upon them and all this for Truth and Righteousness sake and for their profession and Practice in Religion when as no Plotting or evil-dealing towards the King nor any of his Subjects could be justly charged and proved against them And thus the Innocent have been made a Prey to Prophane Persons and their Sufferings have been woful and all this under and by your Authority And are these things nothing to you or do you judge this is well doing Is this Iustice and true Iudgment Is this for your Happiness and Prosperity Let the God of Heaven and Earth judge in this matter between this People and You for the Cry of their Sufferings are very Loud in the Ears of God and they have been laid before you and you ought to have relieved them and eased their heavy burdens and shewed Iustice Pity and Love and this would have made for your Happiness But if that you alwayes neglect to hear the Cry of the Poor and of the Oppressed yet God hears and takes notice and though this People should have no Helper in the Earth yet He is their Helper and their Cause is committed unto Him Can these things stand and can you be happy in these proceedings while the Innocent suffer under you Is it in your hearts to destroy the Heritage of God do you think to extinguish an Innocent People from off the Earth Must none wait upon God and worship Him and pray to Him but after your Prescriptions and Limitations And will you kill and destroy all such as do not who cannot for good Conscience sake conform to every way of Worship and Religion imposed but must wait upon God and worship Him and pray to Him according as his Spirit teacheth and guideth will you I say destroy all such Is it in your hearts to effect it if it be the God of Heaven will not prosper you in such purposes Will ye force men to forsake the Way of their God wherein they have found his Presence will ye persecute men for their Religion-sake while yet they walk uprightly in their Conversations among men Oh Friends it is not Iustice and true Iudgment thus to do it pleaseth not God neither doth it unite the hearts of Subjects in true Love and Unity but it hath contrary effects and that you may find Indeed according to my judgment such proceedings are not good Policy nor humane Wisdom for you to seek to establish one particular Perswasion and kind of Religion and impose that by force and persecute and seek to destroy all the rest that are otherwise minded if they will not deny their Principles and Consciences and conform this seems I say no good Policy among men for if it doth gratifie one sort of men in their desires it discontenteth and dissatisfieth many more and it breaketh Love and Unity amongst Subjects and your safety is in
of that Spirit of God ruling in their Consciences in such their Religion yet if they suffer only for their Religion sake while yet they walk uprightly as men in all outward affairs relating to the outward man This also is Persecution and such are persecuted for their Religion sake though not wholly for Righteousness sake and none ought to suffer as such under the Authority of any King Prince or Power but if such do suffer as I have said and that for their Religion sake only so though yet their Religion is not perfectly according to God yet they are persecuted and this is Persecution And thus I have in short described and defined what Persecution is in it self and who it is that are persecuted and I shall now shew how great an Enemy Persecution for Conscience and Religion sake is unto the King's Person and Authority Persecution for Conscience sake and for difference in Matters of Religion is a great Enemy to the Person and Government of the King it is I say a destroying and devouring Enemy and the fruits and effects thereof may work terrible destruction yea this Enemy Persecution hath often wrought overthrow in Kingdoms Let the King strive to be delivered speedily from this great Enemy which is fierce and cruel and may work woful effects in this Kingdom also and the King may be more blessed in his Person and Government if he remove far from him this Enemy Persecution I. It is his Enemy because its effect is to eat out the Affections of many good and sober people from the King and may make their Love and Affections dye to the King's Government when they behold and consider the Persecution of many good and peaceable People for Righteousness and good Conscience sake when as no evil doing between man and man can justly be laid to their charge but only for the matter of their Religion and the exercise of their Consciences towards God and if such suffer cruel Imprisonment unjust Fines and grievous Vexations for such cause it may weaken and eat out the Affections of good People and divert their Love and good Desires from the King and his Government in which such Persecution is brought forth and that which diverts the Peoples Love from the King is his great Enemy and such is Persecution II. Persecution is the King 's great Enemy because it may kindle Heart-burnings Envyings Strifes and Murmurings among his Subjects while some are tolerated in the Profession and Practice of their Religion and others persecuted and imprisoned for the same cause and this kind of dealing exerciseth the King's Subjects in harsh dealing one towards another and gives great occasions for Quarrelling Envyes Debate and Malice one against another even when some execute Persecution upon others haling them to Prison spoyling their Goods and the like and this kind of dealing I say whilst the Authority of the Land persecutes one sort of the King's Subjects by the hands of others it tendeth much to great Division and Distractions amongst the People and it is not for the King's safety but for his great dishonour and disadvantage every way to have the People divided into heart-burnings and quarrellings against one another and therefore Persecution is the King 's great Enemy because it worketh such evil effects III. It is his great Enemy because it is contrary to the Trust which God hath reposed in him in promoting him to be King over these People for God hath not committed Power to him to judge in the Cases of Mens Consciences and to persecute any because of the exercise thereof whether they be of this Profession and Practice in Religion or the other yet living peaceably and uprightly as Men he ought not to persecute any nor to suffer them to be persecuted by nor under his Authority but he ought to defend and preserve all mens Persons and Estates in their Just Rights from the violence each of others without respect to what their Profession and Practice of Religion is but if the contrary be brought forth it is contrary and not answerable to the end of God's Restoring Him to these Kingdoms and if He do not what God hath justly called him unto but otherwise this is his Enemy and such is Persecution for Conscience sake it is contrary to the end of Just Government and wherefore God hath Restored him and therefore this Persecution is an utter Enemy both to the King's Person and Authority IV. It is his Enemy because it provokes the God of Heaven and Earth over all to be offended with him for He is provoked and vexed because of the Persecution of his People in this Age as ever He was in all Ages and if the King be guilty thereof it incurreth God's great Displeasure against him for God was ever offended with Kings Rulers and whomsoever that were Persecuters and he is the same at this day and whatsoever it is that provokes God to Anger against the King that is his Enemy And such is Persecution of People for the Profession and Practice of their Religion when as no Evil can be charged upon them in things between Man and Man and therefore let the King beware of this woful Enemy that waits to wound him for if the God of Heaven be provoked against him How great is that Enemy which brings it to pass V. It is the King's Enemy because it not only provokes the Lord to Anger but to Iudgment Persecution is the cause wherefore God brings grievous Iudgments and Vengeance upon whomsoever are guilty thereof and the effect of Persecution is Plagues and Misery and it incenseth God to Anger and also to Destroy and therefore let the King beware of such a deadly Enemy as should cause God to destroy him and such an Enemy is Persecution of Gods People for Conscience sake it draweth down the Wrath of God upon Kings and Kingdoms upon Rich and Poor upon High and Low that are guilty of it for it is the fulfilling of all other sins and it hastens to bring destruction upon all that are guilty and this effect it will work upon the King even this his Enemy Persecution if he turn not from it and overcome it and banish it from him for it is the cause of both inward and outward of both internal and external Plagues and Judgments of God VI. Persecution it is an Enemy to the King because it will work to weaken the hands of Iust and Sober and Righteous Men it will weaken their Love and Affections and it makes their hearts sad and Wo is unto them that make sad their hearts whom God doth not make sad and this doth Persecution and it doth not only weaken the hearts and the hands of the Righteous and Sober Persons but it strengthens the hands of the Rude Ungodly and Prophane through the Land and that which strengthens the Wicked and the Rude Multitude in Wantonness Scorning and Prophaness that is the King's Enemy but such is Persecution for a good Conscience sake
and because it weakens the Righteous in their good and upright wayes and strengthens the Wicked in their evil wayes therefore it is an Enemy unto the King VII Persecution is an Enemy unto him because it tends to render him dishonourable both in the sight of God and all good Men through the World for it will shew that he is cruel and bitter and perverse and that he wants Humility Meeknesse Forbearance and Patience if he be guilty and this is dishonorable to have and profess evil qualities and properties and to be without the good and by Persecution this will be made manifest to all the World and ever was in all Ages that the Persecutors of good Conscience gained unto themselves Dishonour and Reproach of all good men in all Ages after them for they were men full of Rage and Malice and Passionatness and wanted Patience and Humility and this made them Dishonourable And the case will be the same with the King if he be a Persecutor for Conscience sake and he will be dishonourable both in this present time and in Ages to come and this by Persecution and therefore it is his Enemy that will work many Mischiefs and Evils upon him if he be not wholly delivered from it VIII Persecution is an Enemy to the King's Person and Authority because Persecution for Conscience sake is of the Devil it is of his spirit and not of the Spirit of God to persecute imprison kill and destroy mens Persons and Estates because of their Religion-sake when as no unjust dealing nor unrighteous conversation can be justly laid to their charge but only for and because of such Profession and Practice in Religion to persecute any because hereof this is of the Devil and that which is of the Devil is the King's Enemy and an Enemy to all Mankind and such is Persecution and therefore it is a deadly mortal Enemy which wounds Kings Princes and Rulers that ever have had friendship with it and therefore let the King avoid this great Enemy lest its effects prove miserable IX It is the King's Enemy because it is according to the Example of all the wicked Kings and Rulers that ever have been through Ages and Generations as of Pharoah Ahab Herod Nero and many more who were Persecutors of People for Conscience sake who gained unto themselves thereby Reproach Infamy and Misery from God and men and to follow their Example is the King's Enemy and such is Persecution if he should persecute for Conscience sake and about Religion and the Worship of God then he follows the Example of wicked Kings and this will be his Enemy and will work woful effects if so be he walk in the steps of the Persecutors of old and love that which is his Enemy X. Persecution is the King's Enemy because the end and effects of it is Misery and Destruction upon all that persecute the Heritage of God What was Pharaaoh's end and Herod's end and Nero's end was not their end woful and miserable to God and shameful to men And Persecution for Conscience sake will bring the same effects at this day the end of all Persecutors will be Misery and Shame even in the Day of the Lord when He comes with Iudgment and Vengeance and to reward every man according to his deeds then will He reward Persecution and Persecutors with his fierce Wrath and they shall know the Justice of God's Judgments executed upon them And therefore happy will the King be if he keep himself clear and put far from him this Enemy Persecution Three CONSIDERATIONS I have to present unto the KING for Conclusion I. THe Strength and Safety and Prosperity of the King and his Government stands in the Union good Affection and Love of his Subjects and the People of these Kingdoms one to another and to the King and the more that the People of the Kingdoms are in Love and Union and good Affection one with another and to the King the more strong and safe and prosperous thereby is the King and his Government and the more like for a long and happy Continuance and Establishment And it is the Love and Union and Affection of the sober and grave and just and upright People and of the Meek of the Land that is the Kings Strength and Safety and will much tend to his Prosperity and to the establishment of his Government and Authority and the Kings Safety and Strength and Prosperity doth not depend upon the Affection and Acclamations of the Ruder sort and of the Wild Multitude though such profess great subjection and cry up the King and his Government and drink his Healths and swear the Destruction of all his Enemies and have much love and great Union for the King and are for him to serve him and swear Fidelity and engage themselves very highly in words and gestures for the King yet the King and his Government is no whit the safer nor more strong nor prosperous because hereof for his Prosperity and Establishment depends upon the Love and good Affection of the Just and Upright and Temperate and Meek Men of the Kingdoms and not upon the love of the Rude Multitude such cannot be a blessing to him in their Vaunting and Boasting and Rudeness nor can be stand by them but must stand in the Establishment of his Government by the Love of such as fear the Lord and depart from all Iniquity by the good Affection of such and their Faithfulness and Love may the King be happy and blessed Therefore let him strive to please such and to gain their good Affections to be united to him and this may adde to his long Continuance II. It is the doing of Justice and Truth and allowing all just and equal Liberty to all People under his Authority that will gain upon the hearts of all just and good People and as Righteousness Mercy true Judgment and Truth is brought forth in the Land and all the contrary limited in the King's Government this will gain much upon the Hearts and Affections of all good People to be united in Love one to another and to the King And this is the way of the King's Prosperity and to make his Government established if so be that he exercise his Rule and Authority in Love and Meekness and equal Iustice and Mercy and love Righteousness and Truth and hate and deny all the contrary and limit it then the spirits of all People in the Kingdoms would be subjected and subdued under his Power and he should rule over them and his Kingdoms be established prosperously and this is the way of an happy Government But if so be the King put on Rigour and be fierce and cruel and think to subdue all under him by Will and Force without shewing Justice and Reason to answer the Consciences of his Subjects in all his proceedings This way can never be prosperous nor establish him in his Authority but it will work the contrary effect For if Oppression be brought forth and heavy Yoaks laid upon the back of the Poor then will the Wrath of God and of men be kindled against him and Murmurings Strifes and Contentions will arise in the minds of men against him and the Oppressions of the Poor will reach unto Heaven and God will hear and revenge their Cause So that it is ruling and exercising Authority in these Kingdoms in Justice Righteousness Love and good Reason that must gain the hearts of People unto right Subjection to make the King and his Government happy and established and Rigour Force and Cruelty will never make the King happy but will work contrary For the People are wise and Understanding will not long bear any degree of the yoak of slavery III In as much as the People of these Kingdoms are divers and divided and contrary in Judgment one to another in many things and so are dis-united into several Opinions and Parties the King ought to rate in Wisdom and Love over them all and to shew equal Iustice and Liberty and to exercise Righteousness towards them all alike notwithstanding their Difference in Religion and Judgments for if he shall give Liberty to some and oppress others if he do joyn with one way and promote that and the men of one Judgment be tolerated and all other wayes and all others that are different in Judgment be persecuted and oppressed and sought to be destroyed this is not the way for the King to prosper nor to be established to perpetuity for there seems to be no one way so strong or any one sort of People so many for the King to cleave to and allow and seek to destroy all the rest because there is of other sorts of people that ballance that sort in opposition and so the King and his Government seems not secure if he take hold of any one sort of People only to stand thereby in opposition to all the rest persecuting of them because there are many of other Sects that will be discontented and murmur if not more So that the King's Safety is and the Prosperity of his Government and the Establishment of it seems to be by giving Equal Liberty and Iustice and shewing Love and Tenderness to all of all Iudgments and then he may stand by all and none will oppose him but all will be ready to defend and preserve him for he may stand established and be happy in his Government by engaging all Sorts to him through Love and Righteousness and Liberty towards all but he cannot according to my Judgment be established nor prosperous if he choose only the men of one Judgment to stand by and cleave only to that and persecute and seek to destroy all the rest that are different and so only make one Party his Friends and disengage all others in Love and Affection This seems I say not the way of Prosperity Let the King consider it and the Lord give him a right understanding FINIS London Printed for Robert Wilson at the sign of the Black-spread-Eagle and Windmill in Martins l' Grand 1661.
which they have sworn and engaged Fidelity and Allegiance so that many are not the more to be trusted though they swear Allegiance for the Proverb saith He that will Swear will Lye and he that is forced to swear against his Conscience will hardly perform his Oath And we are no less to be trusted though we swear not for we never yet engaged our selves by Oath to any Governours or Government and yet we never rebelled or plotted against any but have lived peaceably and in a patient suffering condition under all that have sitten on the Throne since we were a People And therefore out living peaceably under the King's Government cannot justly be doubted of though we cannot engage the same by swearing But yet if we do not live quietly and in good obedience as peaceable People but do rebel plot c. then we refuse not to suffer the Pains Penalties and Forfeitures as such that Swear and do not perform their Oaths I say if we do not live peaceably but plot and rebel against the King and his Government then let us suffer the same in every particular as if we had sworn and not performed our Oath V. All these things rightly considered it doth fully appear 1. That we are not Enemies neither in present Action nor future Intent to the King's Person or Authority 2. Nor that we refuse to acknowledge Iust Authority to King Charles the Second as Supream Magistrate over these Kingdoms 3. Nor doth it appear that we are otherwise than Peaceable and Quiet People under the King's Government 4. Nor is it manifest but that we are ready to acknowledge so to continue in all good Conscience and Righteousness And therefore we do appeal to the God of Heaven and to King Charles and to all People whatsoever That our present Sufferings by Imprisonment and whatsoever else we may suffer in this Case for Refusing to take the Oath of Alleagiance it is not for Plotting against the King nor for refusing to acknowledge Iust Authority to the King nor for denying Iust Obedience to him and the Good Laws of the Land nor for denying to live peaceably in the Kingdom under the King's Authority Because to all this we acknowledge solemnly in Yea and Nay Neither are our Sufferings in this case for any Evil-doing towards God nor Men but our Sufferings are for keeping the Commands of Christ which to us is matter of Conscience to perform more than to save our own Lives or Estates and our Sufferings are because we cannot Swear at all and not because we are Rebellious or that we deny Iust Allegiance to the King and such our Sufferings are not as Evil-doers nor justly and righteously as Offenders because we are not guilty of Evil in this case towards God nor Man and our Sufferings are Cruel Persecution for our Tender Conscience sake and for the Name of Christ Iesus And we call God and Just Men to witnesse between Us and our Prosecutors that as Saints and Servants of God we suffer in this Case and for our Faithfulnesse and Obedience to the King of Heaven and not for Evil-doing or Disobedience to King Charles and his Authority And if any be persecuted in this case for Refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Ruine of Persons Wives and Families in this World then we shall have cause to say Occasion is wrongfully taken against us to destroy us and we are proceeded against contrary to the End of Iust Government which is to preserve the Peaceable and not to destroy them and contrary to the King 's former Promises who hath said VVe should not suffer for matters of our Religion and Conscience living peaceably in the Land And if we suffer because we cannot swear at all such our Suffering is for our Conscience sake and we are therein persecuted unrighteously as Innocent People and without just cause And we must commit this our Cause to God who regardeth the Oppressions of his People and will avenge their Cause in his season And for the present this is all I have to say and present concerning this Case of Swearing and concerning the Oath of Allegiance CHAP. II. The Case stated and pleaded concerning our Meeting together to Worship God I. VVE do meet together in the Name of Iesus Christ and in his Power and Spirit and we do Come together in the Fear of God to wait upon Him and to receive the Teachings of his Holy Spirit and his Counsel to direct us in all our wayes how to walk righteously towards God and Men and in our Meetings we practise our hearts and minds in Godliness and speak of the things of the Kingdom of God in Preaching the Word of God and in Prayer to Him according as His holy Spirit guideth us which is given us of God to lead us into all Truth according to his Promise Ioh. 16. 13. and that we may edifie one another in the wayes of Holiness and Truth for the benefit of our Souls and this is according to the Scriptures For they that feared the Lord met often together and spake one to another and edified one another And this is our Principle That it is our Duty to Godwards to meet together and that he requires it of us and for the exercise of our Consciences to Him it hath been alwayes and is our practice to meet together in the exercise of the Worship of God as aforesaid and not for any other end as in Contempt of Authority or to plot or contrive or to meditate Evil towards the King or his Government or any of his Subjects We have no such eâ—â—l I say in meeting together but our alone only and absolute End in our Meeting is to worship the Lord our God and to serve Him and to wait upon Him in Obedience to his Will and for good Conscience sake as our Duty towards Him II. And this our practice of Meeting together for the End and Cause mentioned if it be in Publick Houses or more private in Upper Chambers or in the Open Fields on what day soever is lawful and just in the sight of God and is according to the Example of the Primitive Saints and provable by the Scriptures As in Acts 1. 13 14. And when the Disciples and Saints returned from Jerusalem they went up into an Upper Chamber both Men and VVomen and waited upon the Lord and continued with one accord in Prayer and in Supplication And in Acts 20. 7 8. The first day of the week the Saints met together and Paul preached unto them and continued his Sermon till midnight holding forth the matters of the Kingdom of God and they were met an an Vpper Chamber from whence Eutychus fell down And Acts 28. 30 31. And Paul remained two fall years preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in his own hired house in Rome and he exhorted the Saints not to neglect meeting together as the manner of some was whom he reproved Heb. 10. 25. By which
to answer causeless Objections And thus I have sought out this matter and laid it before the King and I leave it to him to consider and to shew Iustice Equity Mercy and Long-suffering and in so doing he will be blessed but if the contrary be brought forth the effect thereof will be more miserable CHAP. V. The Case stated and pleaded concerning Government it self and particularly of this present Authority and our Obedience to it I. VVE do acknowledge Government and Rule and Magistracy to be an Ordinance of God ordained and instituted of him to be exercised among the Children of Men for to be a Praise and a Defence to all that do well and to be a Terrour and Correction to all that do evil And we believe there ought to be Rule and Government and Authority exercised and executed in every Kingdom Nation City and Country for the end aforesaid to wit That Evil-doers may be made afraid and corrected limited restrained and subdued and that Sin and Transgression may be suppressed and Truth and Righteousness promoted and them that do well praised and strengthened And this is the very end of outward Government of Kings Princes or others amongst Men upon the Earth Even that the Outward man may be kept in good order and subjection in his conversation in the World and may be limited and restrained from all wrong doing or speaking against his Neighbours Person or Estate and if he do he is punishable by such Iust Authority This is the very end of outward Government in the Kingdoms of the World but it extends not over the Inward Man to rule govern or exercise Authority over the Consciences of any in Spiritual matters and cases between God and a mans Conscience This Dominion and Authority only pertains to the Inward Government and Rule of Iesus Christ by his Eternal Spirit but not to any Outward Government of Kings Princes Parliaments or any others They I say ought only to exercise Authority over the Persons and Estates of People in all just and lawful things and matters but not over the Consciences of any in the exercise of Duty towards God or in the Cases and Matters of Worship and Religion II. The Exercise and Execution of this Iust Government over the Outward Man as afore described ought to be committed into the hands of faithful just and upright men such as fear the Lord and hate Covetousness and every evil way in all Kingdoms of the World The Execution of the Government in all Just Laws onght I say to be committed to such men and not to Drunkards Lyars Covetous or Evil-minded persons Ambitious or Vain-glorious persons in any Nation such as these ought not to be entrusted with the Execution of the Government and the good Laws of any Kingdom for such will not be a Blessing unto the Land nor unto any People but a Curse and the cause of provoking God to Vengeance and Wrath against themselves the People and the Governments if such men whom God chooseth not be chosen to make Laws and execute them and to exercise Government in any Kingdoms of this World But men that fear God and delight in Iustice Mercy and Truth that are humble and meek and lowly persons ought to be called to the place of Government and only such are fit to exercise Rule and Authority and to make and execute Laws in these Kingdoms and in all the Kingdoms of the World and such would be a Blessing in the Earth and the Governments under such and in the execution of their hands would be blessed and prosperous and all good men would have cause to rejoyce therein and all evil doers and transgressors would be limited and made afraid if so be the Laws be just holy and righteous and according to Equity and the holy Law of God in all things and the due Execution of such Laws committed to just and righteous and meek men that love Iudgment Mercy and Truth and would execute them in the Earth Then the happy and blessed Government will be exalted and Truth and Righteousness would reign as Judge on the Throne and in this shall all Nations and Kingdoms be prosperous and blessed when in cometh to passe III. And as for this present Authority and Government now in being under the name of King Charles the Second we do believe and acknowledge That according to the Purpose and Will of God and of his bringing to passe this present Government and Authority is set up and into its present being established The Lord I say hath suffered it to be effected for the Cause and End and Time and Purpose known to Himself and not to mortal man And thus this Government and Authority is of God being brought in and set up in opposition to and for the reproof and correction of such as went before who had neglected Mercy Truth Iudgment and Righteousness in the Earth till it was time for the Lord to cast them out and reprove them and make them a Desolation before their Enemies and this Authority was judged of the Lord fit for that use and end and reserved to be brought in as a Rod of God in his hand to correct and smite many people And it is right in the sight of the Lord that this Authority should have this time and season to be exercised in these Kingdoms to try and prove both it self and all under it if so be that Truth Justice and Righteousness Mercy and Peace may be brought forth in these Kingdoms through it that God may establish it for long continuance and it is now a trying and proving to make it self happy and blessed or otherwise to bring it self into contempt and dishonour and accordingly as Truth Iustice Mercy Iudgment and Peace is brought forth by it or the contrary brought forth by it so must the just and equal effects and reward of it be from the Hand of God and it is only Iust Iudgment Mercy and Truth Righteousness Relieving the Oppressed and the doing thereof that can alone make the Person and Government of the King Happy Blessed and Honourable in this World and hereafter and the contrary if it be brought forth must needs bring Confusion Discontents and all miserable Iudgments and to say no more of it this is my present Judgment of the King and his Authority both in respect of their Coming in and the Cause thereof and the Fruits and Effects that must follow which is not otherwise determined of God but according to desert and merit of walking in Truth Justice and Righteousness or in walking otherwise IV. Our Obedience to this Authority must be according as before declared in the Plea of the first Case concerning Allegiance to wit for Conscience sake to God we are bound by his Iust Law in our hearts to yeeld Obedience to it in all matters and cases actively or passively that is to say in all just and good Commands of the King and the good Laws of the Land relating to our outward