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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	life_n	sin_n	2,554	5	4.5681	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90963	Clerico-classicum, or, The clergi-allarum to a third war. Being an answer to a pamphlet, intituled, A serious and faithfull representation of the judgements of ministers of the Gospel within the province of London, contained in a letter from them to the Generall and his Councell of Warre. Delivered to his Excellency by some of the subscribers, Jan. 18. 1648. Which may likewise serve for a brief answer to their late vindication, relating to their former actings, touching the capitall punishment of the person of the King. / By John Price, citizen of London.	Price, John, Citizen of London.	1649 (1649)	Wing P3340; Thomason E544_1; ESTC R204338	47,303	74

Standard against you then you stirre up the people from another Article of the Covenant engaging the discovery of all such as have beene or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evill instruments by hindering thereformation of Religion and those pas●ges obliging the preservation of the rights and priviledges of Par●ament c. If the Parliament stand in your way and joyning ●ith the contrary party may hopefully help you slye to tha●●rt and article of the Covenant engaging for the preservation 〈◊〉 defence of the Kings Majesties person and Authority c. As 〈◊〉 the Scripture in the severall vein●s thereof and the Solemne ●ague and Covenant in all the Articles thereof intended ●othing else but Presbyterie and as if Presbyterie were no●●hing else but the lifting you up into an absolute indepen●ent uncontroulable Supremacy in all Ecclesiasticall dignity ●nd glory and by your example are all contrary paties taught 〈◊〉 plead the Covenant those that you call Sectaries Schisma●eks c. plead the Covenant engaging each to go● before other 〈◊〉 matters of Reformation The Presbyterian pleads Cove●●nt-engaging conformity as they urge with the Church of ●●●tland The Parliamenteer pleads Covenant engaging to ●●serve the rights and privledges of Parliament The Royallist ●●●ads Covenant engaging to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority The Armists plead Covenant ●●gaging to preserve the liberties of the Kingdome c. So that you have made the Covenant a meere contradictions thing like unto one of the Diabolicall Oracles of the Heathens spea●●ng nothing certaine but ambiguitie● but let us a little examine how pertinently you bring i● in in this place to shew the Parliament and Armie their wickednesse in going about to ●ring the late King to his Tryall for his vitious bloody and tyrannicall Government you put them in minde of their Solemn League and Covenant to preserve defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of 〈◊〉 Religion and Liberties of the kingdomes that the world may 〈◊〉 witnesse with our Consciences of our loyalty and that wee have 〈◊〉 thoughts or intentiens to diminish his Maj●sties just power and greatnesse First We were bound to preserve and defend his Person when we first took this Covenant and at that time you know very well you stirred up the people to sight against his Army though his Person was the Leader thereof which presume● first that either you perswaded the people against the 〈◊〉 of your owne consciences or secondly that you conceived that though his Person should be smitten into the chambers of Death by those that did fight against his Army yet they did not break the Covenant If so then there is a case wherein the KINGS Person may be ●ut off without breach of Covenant Secondly The oligation is for the preservation of his Person AVTHORITY not for his Person simply but his Person and Authority If both come in competition then the greater is to be prefer'd before the lesser that is his Authoririty before his Person If his Authority that is that by which the execution of all just lawes of the Kingdome is legally performed enjoynes the cutting off of Murtherers and Traitors by death if his Person be found to be a Murtherer or Traitor then either his authority or person must dye If his Authority dies then no Murtherers and Traitors or any other Delinquents must die or suffer for what reason can be given th●t the greatest Traitor or Murtherer should be spared and not others The nearer relations are the greater is the sinne of the violation thereof the King is the Father the Husband of his Countrey if he shall murther his Children his Spouse he deserves a sorer death then common murtherers doe● Treason is the betraying of just trusts the greater the trust the greater the treason the worse the Traitor the Covenant then engageth to preserve his Authority rather then his Parson for though his Person may be engaged against his people yet his authority cannot withstand his people no Prince having authority to destroy kill and murther his people it is true he may have potentiam but not potestatem an opportunity but not an authority might but not right hereunto If his person riseth up against his authority and his authority against his person if one of these must perish the Solemne League and Covenant obligeth us to preserve his authority though with the destruction of his person Thirdly The Covenant binds us to preserve his person in the preservation and defence of the true Religion true Religion doth not command to punish the poore and spare the rich true Religion doth not say if the Subject doe kill and murther rob and steale he shall be so and so punished but if the King doth these things a thousand times over he must not be medled withall by any but God alone true Religion saith he that sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed the murtherer shall surely be put to death the revenger of blood shall stay the murtherer c. If then the King be a murtherer true Religion comman●● that he be put to death true Religion as to matter of right or wrong maketh no difference nor hath respect of persone it doth not justifie the wicked though hee be never so great and whereas you may urge that the meaning of those Scriptures have a speciall reference to the Authority by which the murtherer must be put to death by man shall his blood be shed that is by man invested with lawfull authority not by every man or any man and that Court by which the King was condemned and executed was no more a lawfull Authority then the doing thereof by a private person having not the least colour of the law of the La●d for it Saith that profound Lawyer Mr. Love only as solemn a piece of mockery as ever was acted upon the stage of this world and so thin that every eye may pierce it and the solemnity thereof excepted the same with John of Leyden Saith another grave and judicious Divine Mr. Jenkin His life being taken away unjustly and his blood drawn by unrighteousnesse Saith another meek Minister of the Gospel Mr. Cauton an imbr●ing of their hands with the blood of their Soveraign Saith another pathetick and compassionate messenger of Jesus Christ M. Case a staining our Land with innocent blood and notorious scand●lizing the Protestant Religion say many of the Subscri●●● but to answer First This serious and faithfull representation of the judgement of Ministers of the Gospel within the Province of London doe not so much as intimate that the life of a King is in any case to be taken away but rather that the Lords Anointed at no hand must be touched and the truth is it is to be feared that this Doctrine preached by men of this Tribe was one of the great causes both of the Kings wicked and tyranni●ll government and so by consequence of his death and destruction so that if

and faithfull in the prosecution of your judgemen● i● general touching your own interest power and preferment we have reason enough to believe but how shall wee know when you are serious and faithfull in the REPRESENTATION of your judgement in any particular for we shall anon minde you of a represen●ation of your judgements and that by your s●lves as far differing from this as light i● from darknesse and yea from nay and we had as much and more ●eason to believe your seriousnesse and faithfulnesse in that representation of your judgements then in this the right eye whereof 〈…〉 darkened and the right hand so withered that there is ●arc● the least glimmering or motion of light or arguments ●or your judgement represented in all your letter and did not a ●resumptuous opinion swell in your mindes that your very ●●mes titles and presumed vocation viz. Ministers of the ●ospell Embassadours of Jesus Christ would challenge a ●uddaine entertainement of what ever you represent asking no question for conscience sake and that the rhetoricke of the bramble should silence the Vine and all the tree● of the Forrest you know our meaning you would never presen● the world with such a vaine poore ba●ron empty nothing for satisfaction in so great and weighty a cause as this which you c●ll A serious and faithfull representation of the judgements of Ministers of the Gospell within c. Your Letter stands though faintly upon four feet 1. The occasions of your writing it 2. The mattere criminall contained therein charged upon the Generall and Councel of Warre 3. The grounds and reasons of your charge proving the same 4. Your Ministerial advice and councel thereupon That they are all so feeble as not able to beare up your presumed authority thereof in the judgments of rational and ●●partial Readers wil quickly appear for First for the occasions of it which were First The severall applications as well by writing as verb●●ll messages inviting the Ministers of London or some of them 〈◊〉 meete with the Officers of the Army in their consultations 〈◊〉 matters of Religion page 1. 2. The refusall of these Ministers of Jesus Christ so invited 3. The reasons of this refusall From the first of these may wee not behold as on the one hand the Christian candor ingenuity and condiscention of the General and Councel of Warre forgetting the many false notorious and publique slanders of these men cast upon them from their pens and Pulpits from day to day endeavouring if it were possible to defile and be-spatter that garment of honour which God put upon them that they should apply themselves nay make several applications of themselves unto them send to them and write to them c. So on the other hand the domineering Lordly and Prelatical pride of these un-Christ-like Ministers of Jesus Christ that would not vouchsafe such a condiscention as to give them a meeting surely that Papal unction which was by the spirit from beneath powred forth upon the heads of the Popes of old time pussing up their minds to that measure of pride arrogancy and supercilliousnesse as Kings and Princes with their Wives and Children must gladly even with their hare feet attend their Holinesses pleasure day after day before their admission hath plentifully extended to the skirts of their cloathing these servi servorum dei these Ministers of the Gospel these zealous and hot disput●●● against the errours heresies and blasphemies of the Army cannot be prevailed withall by severall applications by writing by verball messages to advise counsell and direct them in matters of the greatest concernment to the whole Nation to prevent the subject-matter of their daily Pulpit-invectives against them from the power of tyranny and the pride of the Clargy 〈◊〉 nos Domine they can lift up their voyces like a Trumpet In most scandalon● accusations slanderous defa●●ations and bitter invectives allarming people against them but cannot he prevailed withall no not by severall applications of severall kinds to advise and consult to direct or instruct in the greatest matters concerning the good or evill saving or loosing the whole Nation is this while you have opportunity to doe good to all and is this is vindication of your Ministeriall function wherein you so often glory We Ministers of the Gospel within the Province of London hold it our duty as then to refuse any such meeting as was proposed so now to give your Lordship and Councell the reasons of that refusail lest by our silence we should seeme to be wanting in that ingenuity and candor which becomes all but especially the Ministers of Jesus Christ c. Wee Ministers of Jesus Christ within the Province of London what are the signes and tokens proving the same your ingenuity and candor which becomes the Ministers of Jesus Christ excellent a testimony whereof you give by all your carriages as to all men that observe your foot-steps so especially First To the Army calling them in your Pulpits a rebellious Army a generation of vipers a viprou● brood an oppressing Army an Army of Hereticks a Schismaticall Army an Army whose lives are not worth a prayer and whose deaths are not worth a teare an Army though conque●ing yet they were not fit nor worthy to conquer that wee had been better without those great victories then to have them by such hands Admirable ingenuity unparallel'd candor such ingenuity and candor appearing in Mr. Canton Mr. Cranford Mr. Case Mr. Love Mr. Jenkins Mr. Tailor and some others which did never appear in Peter James or John yea nor even in Jesus Christ himselfe Secondly Your ingenuity and candor further appeares by your submissive and Christian respects to authority especially the Parliament and as at all times so chiefly when they contend not though with the ruine of all for your greatnesse and interest then your Ministerial ingenuity and candor doe appear in all their glory calling them while they delay your work an apostatizing Parliament a Covenant-breaking Parliament a Parliament at whose doors may be laid all the errors heresies and blasphemies of the times a Parliament that hath wrought a great Reformation amongst us in Church State taking away High-commission Court Star-chamber Councel Table c. and bringing in the room thereof several Committees whose little fingers in way of oppression were heavier then the loins of the former Courts a Parliament suppressing Popery Ceremonies Crucifixes Crosses Service-book c. and in the roome thereof giving liberty of Conscience otherwise called a cursed tolleration of errours heresies blasphemies and all manner of licentiousnesse a Parliament that hath taken away Ship-money coat and conduct-money monopolies c. and in the roome thereof bringing in taxes assesments free-quarters and the heavy burthen and bondage of Excize which neither wee nor our Fathers were ever able to beare Is not this excellent Provinciall ingenuity and candor which further dazles mens eyes and therefore In the third place for the same of your ingenuity and

the King be murthered the Clergy of this Kingdome have murthered him one part of them being the cause of his sin filling and furnishing him with principles of tyranny and another party of them stirring up the people and conjuring them in the name of Christ to rise up against him and to oppose him even unto death Affirming that men guilty of blood must not be at peace with untill it be avenged page as Mr. Love in his Sermon at V●bridge did If so be that true religion which we have Covenanted to preserve doth teach this Doctrine these Subscribers in their serious and faithfull representation of their judgements may doe well to declare it Secondly If so be they will grant that Kings and Rulers are not to be suffered to live as they list to murther kill and destroy their Subjects to burne their Houses and ruine their Families at pleasure and never be accomptable for the same to their people over whom they were set but ought to be brought to punishment as many even of the Presbyterian● and Protestant Divines have held as shall be declared then if Kings may be dealt withall in a judiciary way why are they so angry that the late King was brought to cond●gne punishment if they say they had no authority to judge him I demand who had authority to doe it If they say no Court by the lawes of the Land had any authority hereunto then it would be worth our enquiring whether every man even to the last man left was not bound to lay his hands upon him for the murtherer must not be suffered to live but must surely be put to death the Land must not be defiled and polluted with blood If you say the Lords and Commons should have done it and not the Commons alone it is demanded what if the Lords refused to joyne with them and put them off by an adjournment of their House c. If it be replyed that then the whole Representative should doe it and above halfe of them were violently kept out of the House and detained prisoners making themselves thereby an unparliamentary Junto as Mr. Prinne called them it is replyed that those that were so detained voted a Treaty with the King after the Houses when they were free had resolved voted and declared upon pai● of Treason that there should be no further Addresse unto him nor any Message be carried from him both Kingdomes having declared against any Treaty with the King untill satisfaction for blood already spil● and security for the peace of the Kingdome endeavoured a peace with him and thereby to contract the guilt of the blood of the three Kingdomes upon the Land which those that had power and assistance to prevent ought not to suffer that true religion which wee had covenanted to preserve and defend requires satisfaction for blood And this is considerable that the commands of God to doe Judgement and Justice to put to death the Murtherer is given and delivered in the same phrase and manner of speech a● all the rest of the commands of God Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale c. So the lawes of punishing murtherers were given to the children of Israel and not to Moses ●●ly or the Judges and Princes In Israel N●mb 35. 10. And the Congregation was to judge betweene the slayer and the revenger of blood vers 24. Whether it was done wittingly and of purpose or by accident and it is said vers 31. YEE shall take no satisfaction for the life of a Murtherer c. And what is more common in Scripture then this that if the King doe popular wickednesse the people suffer because the King cannot doe such wickednesse but by the people and the people ought no● to suffer the King so to doe And if the people doe wickedly the King not punishing them the King suffers because did he execute judgement and justice the people would not doe wickedly and God hath not exposed either the King to suffer by the people or the people by the King without controul or just punishment proportionable unto their mutuall demerits and that the people should not suffer their Kings Rulers to doe wickedly but ought to punish them according to their demerits hath been the declared judgement of many Protestant Divinee I shall begin with one of these Subscribers not that I think he deserves the honour of priority but that his own● mistake may be the more obvious unto observation It is Mr. Christopher Love Pastor of Anne Aldersgate in his Sermon preached at Vxbridge and printed having spoken before of the blood-guiltinesse of the King yea intimated unnaturall and horrible blood-guiltinesse in him as if he had been guilty of K. James his death and Prince Henrie's death the blood of the Protestants in R●●hel and the Rebellion of Ireland and all the Protestant blood shed there pag 23. of the said Sermon stiled Englands Distemper and thereby made him the troubler of England as Achan was of Israel hath these words page 32. It was the Lord that troubled Achan because bee troubled Israel Oh that in this our State Physicians would resemble God to cut off those from the Land who have distemperd it Melius est 〈◊〉 perea● unus quamunitas Immedicabile vulnur Ense recidendum est ne pars sincer a trabatur But yet more plaine page 37. Speaking of those with whom we should not admit of a peace hath this intire sentence Thirdly Men who he under the guilt of much innocent blood are not meet persons to be at peace with till all the guilt of blood be expiated and avenged either by THE SWORD OF THE LAW OR LAW OF THE SWORD else a Peace can neither be safe nor just Mr. Love will not say that the King was not guilty of much innocent blood lest he should contradict himselfe neither will he say that blood-guiltinesse can be expiated but by blood lest he should contradict the Scriptures neither can he say but the King was cut off either by the sword of the Law OR LAW OF THE SWORD without which he hath already said that a Peace can neither be safe nor just Again Mr. John Knox the Scottish Reformer a man of known Religion and Learning of the Presbyterian judgment in his 78. page of his Book called the appellation of John Knox having declaimed against the establishment of Idolatrous and persecuting Kings and Rulers by the people hath these words Neither can oath or promise binde any such people to obey and maintaine Tyrants against God and his truth knowne but if rashly they viz. the people have promoted any manifest wicked person or yes ignorantly have chosen such an one as after declareth himselfe unworthy of Regiment over the people of God and such be all Idolatrous and cruell persecuters MOST JVLTLY MAY THE SAME MEN DEPOSE AND PVNISH HIM that unadvisedly before they did nominate appoint and elect Againe Doctor John Ponnet a Protestant Divine in his Book● called Ashore