for many Centuries of yeares this attempt we thinke few quiet and undesigning spirits will be forward to ingage themselves in but what besotting interests have wrought men to we see and seeing have cause to bewaile the fruits of their distempers shaking and indangering the publicke bottome that hath gone a nine years voyage for peace and is now within view of harbor our having been wounded is not so much as that our wound should be perpetuall Jer. 15.18 8.15.22 14.19 and still kept open by the sons of peace official healers if here you acquit your selves Sirs t is well Quisquis vel quod potest arguendo corrigit vel quod corrigere non potest salvo pacis vinculo excludit vel quod salvo pacis vinculo excludere non potest equitate improbat firmitate supportat August hic * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexan. strom l. 5. pacificus est Wee have insisted somewhat largely in our rejoynder to that exception commenc'd against our Argument touching the being of the present Authority over us from God both because it is of confessed importance and because it much facilitates our retargation of what followes under this head To proceed therefore To this explanation of our Position viz. That frames of Government are resolved by God into the peoples wills as the immediate cause of their specification They answer pag. 3. 1 That People destitute of a lawfull Magistracie have an elective Power in the constitution of Government but standing in the relation of Subjects they have not a privative or innovative power Wee Answer if at any time people are enabled to chuse what forme they will be governed under Answ then when necessitated they may lawfully innovate the very being or ordination of Magistracy for their good warrants the one as well as the other and though that Mode of Government from which they change be lawfull yet power tyrannically and injustifiably exercised justifies their election of those meanes for their comfort and security which the law of nature owned by the word Grot Nunquam aliud natura aliud sapientia dicit Juv. dictates to them Necessitas enim summa reducit res ad merum jus naturale Take away a peoples privative power in this case and their elective power serves onely to make them perpetuall slaves before their choyce of such a Governour or Government they were free to provide for their liberties and naturall immunities but after their choyce made they must be content it seemes with what falls out though to the destruction of these for ever this is to enable people to make themselves miserable and there to leave them remedilesse but the Lord has provided more mercifully for them ordaining Magistracy and Order as their accumulative freedome not destroying by his postuate institution what by that generall Statute that unrestrain'd Charter the Law of Nature he had before granted to them yet if a people have no greater cause to desire a change of Government amongst them then Israel had when they cryed ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 8.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph Antiq. li. 8. Act. 26.18 Make us a King we shall never plead their excuse in endeavouring it 2 They say Some kinde of Governments are unlawfull in their owne nature so is that of the beast Rev. 17. and the ten Kings giving their power and strength to the beast these cannot be said to be approved of God Answ 1. The power of those ten Kings or Kingdomes is lawfull in its owne nature the text notes its abuse and suggests thus much to those that alledge it viz. That regall Government is apt above all other modes whatsoever for the service of the beast this is neither only nor also for their purpose 2 That beastiall power they instance in is but an equivocall power that sway of Satan in the hearts of the children of disobedience is called a power too but what hinders this that God may not approve all civil frames of Government upon the Earth how various soever every Ordinance of man which is confest to be only an Application or a Modification of the generall Ordinance of God These are capable of his owning sure notwithstanding this out-leape or essay of theirs touching a power Antichristian in its very essence and of an hellish Parentage our Position reaches to no such power when we say What kinde of Government a people doe will for their owne good the Lord sets his seale upon it Their instances indeed under the next Head and our instance in 1 Sam. 8 9 10 12. Chap. prove that God dis-ownes the sinfulnesse of their wils who are given to change and transgresse without a cause not that hâ— dis-approves the Government they desire It is ordinary for mâ—n to abuse their Liberty and that latitude of choyce which God allowes them in things of this kinde but to conclude that ergo God gives not a People liberty of change and that he resolves not frames of Government into their wils because some men have and others may sinne in erecting new Models and changing their constitutions is like dashing out a mans braines to cure the Megrime or like that practicall Logick of Lycurgus who prohibited the planting of Vines because men used to be drunke with the Grapes 3 We say That in all changes of Government the prevailing not the over-borne Party may lay claime to the signature of Divine approbation this they conceive contradicts our former Position which entitled the Peoples will to the specification of Government and the seale of Gods approvall We all know say they the Peoples wills may goe one way a prevailing Party another contrary to it c. Answ We need not labour much to shake off that contradiction which is pinn'd upon us gratis for though the wills of some people yea of most people may goe one way and the prevailing Party another way yet we all know that the prevailing will goes but one way and which way this will goes that way goes the divine approvall otherwise we had never been commanded to obey EVERY ORDINANCE of man FOR THE LORDS SAKE 1 Pet. 2.13 Though men may sinne in the motions of their wils yet God dis-owns not the power and priviledges he has given them but to hitch on a little These Gentlemen fight notably with their owne shadowes from hence all along till our second Medium as they call it gives them the opportunity of a new encounter proceeding from a supposition which is no grant of ours nor educible from any thing we have yet said viz. that the prevailing Party is owned of God quatenus prevailing hence they frame mountainous absurdities and lay them to our charge as the consequences of our Principles but we know that supposito quo libet sequitur quid libet if any Minister of this combination should deliver such a Doctrine as this The doers of Gods will not the hearers only may lay claime to salvation
they to prove that the present Powers are from God as approving and legitimating them to the Persons is divine Providence the conduct thereof and the Lords presence with the instruments in his hand for effecting this change of Government his wonderfull appearings his hand lifted up in breaking Conspiracies disscipating numerous Bodies preventing confusions un-interrupted continuance of his goodnesse all these make up an evidence of Gods signall owning that Power in being over us which is the product of these Wonders not to quarrell with their Short Hand in cramping our Argument thus they tell us we are so passionately confident of this Medium from providence that we pronounce them more deeply baptized into the spirit of Atheisme then the Aegyptian Sorcerers and declare a curse of God surely to come upon them that confesse not what we thinke undeniably inferres our conclusion Answ Now let the world judge what passion or confidence our words have bewrayed he that considers the workes done in our dayes pondering them well and yet confesseth not Digitum Dei hic hic the Arme of the Almighty made bare for us we cannot but thinke he is more deeply baptized into the spirit of Atheisme then the Aegyptian Sorcerers which withstood Moses Exod. 8.19 If the falling of a Sparrow to the ground though worth but halfe a farthing hath something of Providence in it much more those wonderfull appearings of God anticedent concomitant and subsequent to our change of Government Have not the hils melted like wax at the presence of the Lord Psal 97.5 at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth God wil surely curse that man and his house who saith it was an arme of flesh that did what was done in England as making way for this change or what hath been done in Ireland since P.W. Generalls Letter from Ireland Decem. 1649. Surely these men are angry with Providence or they would not call our taking notice of it passion but yet it seemes they are not desirous to come under the curse of those who wil not see for we acknowledge say they the hand of God and his providence to have been operative yea visibly and wonderfully working in these changes neither are they willing to deny what we thinke inferres our conclusion so that our premises passing currant we must needs judge of this their Reply as a battery raised only against our conclusion But the Iudgements of God are a great deep and without the Cynosure of his Word they finde no safety or warrant to lanch forth into them neither doe those whom they jerk at as hardy Steers-men or bold Adventurers when they take us without a sure word for our Chart and Compasse let their little fingers be as heavie upon us as their loynes have been but shall we through a ferulary awe of any mens threats or censures suffer the Lords workings those perfect Eccho's of his Word to vanish into aire or abstruse nothings All his wayes are judgement Deut. 32.4 must we therefore looke into none of them shall not the just walke in them because transgressors fall therein Hos 14.9 2 Men used not formerly in the heat of our late dissertation betwixt King and Parliament to be so nice and squeamish in this particular but could venture at interpreting the minde of the Lord of Hosts from events of Warre most if not all the Thankesgiving Sermons preached before the Houses are yet living to attest this it seems we can tel how to blow both hot and cold Providence is a Topick which must serve only at some seasons and that for friends too in short Tertul. Si Deus homini non placuerit Deus non erit God must not be seen in that which suits not our interests nor pleaseth us we dare not adventure to interpret that so which we have no minde should be so yet let us take heed dislike of persons or instruments may keep us from seeing God where he is at least be a temptation to hinder us from acknowledging him there 3 Gods Judgements we conceive in their more darke and hidden dispensations are a great deep but to call his Providences so at all seasons so that nothing may be learnt from them no discoveries of his minde at all we see no warrant for Habac. 3.9 Job 36.24 25. when his arme is made bare and his bow made QVITE NAKED Surely these appearings of his may be soberly adventured on without lanching into Gods secret depths they are bruitish who understand not the obvious purport of his workings thou hast made me glad through thy worke saith the Psalmist and they are not only eyed Psal 92.4 5. 28.5 but sought out of all those that have pleasure therein Psal 111.2 may we not by observing them understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Psalm 107.43 A Law shal proceed from me saith God and I will make my Iudgement to rest for a light of the people Isa 51.4 4 They tell us that the appearances of Gods hand in the advancement and successes of men wipes not off the least spot of that grand guilt which rests upon their persons much lesse c. We plead not Patronage or justification to any mens cause much lesse to their persons from Providences alone all that we draw from the pre-mentioned great workes of the Lord in order to that great change of Powers over us is that be deales not so with every people that he shewed himselfe so in effecting it as he useth to doe in the production of those events which are of speciall complacency to him and certainly he that undertakes to prove that God useth to doe such things for the Managers of that Cause which he abominates will finde it very operous It is not a supercilious non sequitur therefore that shall beate us off from taking comfort in Gods Workes nor from glorying in the operations of his hands neither will that which followes prevaile so farre upon us where we are put in minde of the usuall lot and condition of Gods Church viz. A low degree a state of oppression a Wine-presse of troubles and wrongs to be bowed downe and made a footstocle or streete for the enemies of God and his Church to set their feet and walke upon to have men to ride over their heads to plow and make long furrowes upon their backs to be made to turne back from the enemy to be spoyled of them that hate them to be given like sheep appointed for meat and to be scattered among the Heathen c. and on the contrary earthly power pomp and triumph outward illustriousnesse and victoriousnesse to be destroyers of Cities shakers and overturners of Kingdomes are more frequently the Characters and Equipage of God-lesse and notoriously wicked men and practises then of them that are better Answ We grant they are so such have been the wayes of Providence God hath walked in towards his Church and chosen hitherto Psal 71.20 yet sometimes he
towards a conclusion we shall briefly vindicate what we sub-joyned in our Plea for the clearing our Averment touching the alterablenesse of that Declaration 1646. viz. The obligation of a promise must needs cease if the state of things and persons be so altered as that in the judgement of wise men those who promised or declared ought cannot be thought to have willed the including such or such an event in the promise Here say they is a little missing the marke Answer Not of the marke we aimed at the frame of that objection to which in our Plea we undertooke a reply forcing us to speake both to the Parliaments interpretation of the Covenant in reference to Kingly power and likewise to their Promise that they would maintain the government of the Nation by King Lords and Commons as to the former of these we affirme that no postnate interpretation that may be suppos'd to have more or lesse in it then the letter of a Covenant can be reasonably imposed upon the conscience neither do we see cause to judge that the Parliament by their above named Declaration intended to elucidate or interpret the letter of the Covenant To the latter we say that although such and such things were declared for yet declarations as they here acknowledge are alterable pro re nata and therefore are of no perpetuall obligation Let us hear what they say to our reason or evidence brought to prove this viz. The obligation of a promise must needs cease if the state of things and persons be c. after a distinction premised to very little purpose about * Touching their instance in the case of the Gibeonites Jos 9. see Ames Cas consc l. 4. cap. 22. Quest 9. particular and generall willing the inclusion of an event in any promise they come to this conclusion Such events as may make the performing of the promise a sinne in the Promiser infringe the obligation these in the judgements of wise men are deem'd to be excluded to the Promiser but the event brought in by us as falling out in the Parliaments case viz. The Kings implacability and inexoriblenesse as we grosly enough stile it they say is not to be ranged amongst events of that nature they might have performed their promise without sinne and it seemes they did intend to include the Kings persistency thus they mollifie our expression not excepting against it after severall of those addresses made to him divers of them before the Covenant most of them before the Declaration April 17. 1646. so that the greatest part of his persistency was precedent to the making some of those promises c. Ans 1. If after all their experience had of the Kings presistency in a ruining way and all their hopes of bowing him to a complyance with their just desires extinct the House of Lords by their delayes and Negatives in matters of highest moment making it appeare too that they drew the same way with him if after these sad experiences the Parliament had sacrific'd the peace and welfare of the Nation to the interests of King and Lords we cannot but deeme it had been a very sinfull thing a betraying their trust a ruining the Nation a giving us up to a seven-times worse slavery then at their first convention they found us in and we can see nothing here alledged by these Divines though we looke longly for it to perswade us of the contrary they only say it had not been matter of sinne in the Commons to have made good that Declaration of which we are speaking but for this we want evidence 2 The Kings persistency in his way was that very event which put the Commons out of a capacity or possibility of serving the Publique with his advancement an event to be wondred at by all wise men Declar. of March 17. 1648. and therefore in the judgements of wise men not includible in the promise The Commons themselves tell us that upon their making that Declaration they were confident the King would have conformed himselfe to the desires of his people in Parliament and that the Peers who remained with the Parliament would have been a great cause of his so doing and therefore certainly they intended not to include his presistency or the House of Lords declining the publique cause in their promise Si aliquid incautius aliquem jâ—â—â—sse contigerit quod observatum inpejoreÌ„ vergat exitum illud salubri consilio mutandum noverimus c. Soter Epist ad Episc Ital. Charsum Concil Ann. 163 Concil Toler 8. Can. 2. we conceive they were not bound at that instant expresly to except these events they shewed what their exception was very reasonably when after all their fruitlesse endeavours to win the King they voted no more addresses to him peradventure this vote is interpreted one of the Parliaments swervings from their principles which these Ministers minde us of but we cannot so judge of it that principle which respects the Kings Person and Authority having an expresse condition joyned with it ever since the Covenant was entrâ—d into therefore for ought we know they might have voted no more addresses sooner then they did that famous and safe limitation saving the Covenant harmlesse had they done so and the emergency of an event as if confest a warranting the change of Lawes and Declarations may justifie the Commons in receding from what they had declared about governing the Nation by King Lords and Commons yet these assaylants have not done with us but ere they leave us will get betwixt the joynts of our harnesse by a pretty sleight blow a pure subtilty the Kings inexorablenesse was not any change say they but a going on in the way he was when the promise was made and therefore cannot be urged truly as a change of a person or thing to release the Parliament of their promise in his behalfe truly this is subtile nihil for we must tell them that as to our case in the judgement of wise men there is not any imaginable difference betwixt the failing of an event fully and confidently expected and the failing out of an event utterly unexpected the Kings flexiblenesse was the event confidently presumed and made the ground of what was declared concerning him by the Parliament and his not changing to their minde together with the House of Peers changing from their mindes viz. their sence may be tollerably called a change of Persons subverting the foundation of that promise the one not doing what was expected the other doing what was not expected but the King was not so stiffe as is pretended it seemes for he did not hold out after seaven addresses We suppose say they that Treaty at Newport was one of the seaven no Sirs it was the eighth Declar. March 17. 1648 p. 12. if they keep a true account who declare it so to the whole world neither was he then inexorable but contrarily yeelded to more then had been desired of him in former
hath lifted them up as wel as cast them downe here are many of Sions complaints and lamentations gathered together and it were easie for us to collect as large a bundle of her Hymns Hallelujahs and triumphant Exaltations when God has given her the necks of her enemies to tread upon but these gleanings on either hand only shew how and in what manner God dealt with his people at such and such seasons Heb. 3.1 calling them to Songs upon Sigionoth sometimes to rejoycing sometimes to ejaculation they only prove that it has been thus from the beginning but are not standing or perpetuall rules of Divine administrations towards the godly nor prove that it shall be so unto the end if we looke upon those gracious promises drawing to the birth in these latter dayes we may conclude Zion shall be comforted according to the times wherein she has knowne adversity and that she shall not be troden under foot still of the wicked so that prevailency and outward illustriousnesse though Characters of the wicked race till their day be done shall Characterize the Generation of the just when their day begins and the acceptable yeare is proclaimed The Sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee saith the Lord and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves downe at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Zion of the holy one of Israel whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee I will make thee an eternall Excellency a joy of many Generations Isa 60.14 15. And it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the mountaine of the Lords House shall be established upon the top of the mountaines and shall be exalted above the hils and all Nations shall flow unto it Isa 2.2 And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall bee given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Dan. 7.27 What though prosperity spake against the Church of old may it not therefore now speak for it an argument from this Topick viz. successefull providence is of that purport and force in these daies of ours which it was not of in ancient times t is very considerable in our case now those promises are fullfilling though when they were but in making it lookt another way yea t is a thriving argument and will gather yet more strength and weight in favour of the Church before it come into the mouthes of our children Had these Ministers but heapt together as many promises of what the Churches condition shall be and which we see have taken effect in some comfortable degree as they have done testimonies of what its lot was of old it is likely they would have seene they have very little ground for such an odious untheologicall insinuation as that of theirs in this paragraph is viz. That the mighty presence of God with his Saints and Servants who bend themselves against the usurpations of Antichrist and labour his dethronment in these dayes is no otherwise to be accounted of then his providences towards the Babylonian Seleucidan and Roman Tyrants were of old in effecting their enslavements of his Church and chosen Now to goe forward In driving on their Answer to that use wee make of providence a little further they charge us as counterfeiters of the broad se ale of heaven by making that a signe of Gods mind which he never instituted to that purpose but presumption is a groundlesse charge we have told them once and againe and now tell them once for all it is Heterodoxie in our judgements to affirm that the Lord hath ordained Providences and prevailing successes * Yet see what single providence once did Jona 1.15 16. solitarily to nolifie his approving or dis-approving will yet providence in conjunction with the word gives effectuall notice and sound conviction yea the Lord many times by Providence alone gives a check to the censorious and unadvised harshnes of mens spirits against a people or cause Dan. 3.25 26. and boring through their propositions makes way for a more impartiall judgement and charitable perswasion in them Pauls shaking the Viper off his hand without harme Act. 28.6 made the Barbarians think otherwise of him then before thus crosse and adverse providences in a good cause strike many heart-searchings Jos 7.8 and staggerings into the stablest and best ballanced leaders Lord saith Joshua what shall I say when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies successe hath light as wel as heat and comfort in it to Gods people and adverse occurrences darknesse as well as trouble the Lambes conquering the Kingdomes of the World will so cleare the promises that all Nations shall come to the brightnesse of Zions rising Christ gets up to his Throne by pulling downe the Principalities and Thrones of others present proprietors no doubt Hag. 2.21 22. and if prevailencie helpe not the Sons of men in discerning his title to dominion the promises of his successe such is the hardnesse of mens hearts must stand still for Cyphers and 't is to us altogether inconceiveable Si prae scriptio malefida in omni foro procedat how he will ever finde a vacant or empty Throne upon the earth or how he shall get possession of what his Father has given him if his way be not made by notable shakings See Mr. Owen's Sermon on Heb. 12.26 27. and translations of the customes and the constitutions of Governments in the World A dead woman saith the Proverbe will not be carried out of her house under foure men Their comparison betwixt Providence as we use it Pag. 14. and Lot seemes to us a very poore one we never looked at Providence as an Ordinance of God for the determining a Right but seeing the hand of the Almighty in important events we think our selves bound to acknowledge it and to conclude as much from it as his Word will give us leave which in a righteous cause amounts to a testimony that he ownes it if he favours and more then ordinarily succeeds the managers of it for God is in the Generation of the just Psal 14.5 Psal 41.11 And by this I know saith David thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me if the Army have tempted God by casting themselves upon Providence and by their appeales to his Majesty in courses injustifiable as they here tell us we shal in no case stand by them but leave them as they desire to be left even to him that judgeth righteously their sinne no doubt shall finde them out and are there not with us even with us sinnes against the Lord our God 2 Chron. 28.10 In the next place they thus documentize us the argument from Providence is ab eventu or from the issue of a thing they then
the supposition may passe would he thinke himselfe fairely dealt with all if some wilde Antinomian should charge him with teaching that those whom God saves he saves them because they are doers or for their deeds We doubt he would hardly bear such a mis-construction or indulge the liberty of such an interpretation as this so we say the prevailing Party layes claime to Gods approbation in the contests about Government among the Sons of men but will it thence follow that we hold God approves them because they prevaile surely he may doe it upon another account but whatever that be their prevailency may beare witnesse that he does owne them Pro hic nunc whatever the ends be that his holy will makes use of those powers for we make God the great Arbiter in all Quarrels and prevailency in contests of this nature shewes us for whom he Arbitrates 1 Chro. 5.2 Judah prevailed (a) Hence comes Gibbor Nimrods stile that mighty Hunter Gen. 10.8.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was strong above his Brethren and of him came the chiefe Rulers but the birth-right was Iosephs the least that we can give to Iudah's prevailency is this to attest the Lords designement of that Tribe to beare rule and his actuall disposition of authority to it and wil it now follow 1 That we make force the infallible umpire betwixt Parties claiming interest in the constitution of Government or 2 That the same Government and cause without any alteration of its institution and demeanour may lay claime to divine approbation as its strength varieth That Absolons and Zimries authority were good before God during the time of their prevailence Sirs those instances are not of cases Arbitrated but in Arbitration David had then a considerable Army when he fled from his Sonne with which the Lord of Hosts pleaded his cause against that rebellious Absolon in the day of Battell so when Zimries wickednesse was heard of it presently came to umpeirage all Israel made Omri the Captaine of the Host King over Israel THAT DAY in the camp 1 King 16.16 and when upon the death of Zimri the people were divided into two parts 't is said the people that followed Omri PREVAILED against the people that followed Tibui the Sonne of Ginah so Tibui dyed and OMRI REIGNED ver 22. I wonder what witnesse we have of the Divine Authorization of many that were Kings over Israel setting aside theirs and the peoples prevailency that cleaved to them it wil be easily granted that Menahem Pekah and Hosea 〈◊〉 Kings over Israel and reigned till God cut them off for their abominations but how came they to be Kings what Titles had they how neare of kin to the Scepter the text tels us they were Captaines of the Host men of power and we say God disposed of the Kingdome into their hands but how will this be proved why they prevailed upon what score or to what purpose the Lord owned them we are unworthy to know but owne them he did as Kings and his people owned them too upon their prevailency this was the needle that drew after it the thread of Allegiance The like we say touching Jerobohams and Omri's Enthronment these dissenters acknowledge that Jerobohams reigning over the Ten Tribes was from God only they say that the businesse betwixt them and the Two Tribes adhering to Rehoboham was not debated by the Sword and so the two Tribes were not the worsted and over-borne party As if there could be no worsting or prevailency unlesse it be by the sword 1 Kings 12.22 23. True God tooke up that difference by the mouth of his Prophet he is not tyed to manifest his approvall onely one way this takes nothing therefore from our assertion touching prevailency it may be a testimony of Gods good pleasure in every contest about the disposall of power where he interposeth not more immediately notwithstanding this Concerning Omri they tell us that Gods not approving him and the people is but a slender argument that he approved their actions God sometimes will not suffer his Prophets to be reprovers Answ 1. Why then do these men take such paines to bend severall Texts in Hosea and Micah to a reproofe of them such Texts too as will then suit their purpose when the councells of the house of Ahab and the Statutes of Omri are proved to be the powers of Ahab and Omri the submission of Gods Prophets to Ahab and so many of Gods people to Omri would hardly have been gained if this had been to walk in the Statutes of Omri Micah 6.16 and to keep the councells and works of the house of Ahab 2 Those sinnes in the Kings of Israel which were of such a reach and influence upon the people under them as to involve the whole Nation in a miserable guilt never as we know of escaped reproofe the sins of Ahab Ahaz Jeroboham and Manasseth that were of this impliâ—ancy came all under the lash yea the sinnes of Omri too 1 King 16.26 yet he is not reproved for usurpation though by their principles it involves every one in his sinne who submitted to his power 3 T is the abuse of Gods patience and that line upon line he has given them which causeth him to stop his prophets mouthes I will make thy tongue cleave to the roofe of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumb and shall not be to them a man reproving for they are a rebellious house Ezek. 3.26 this sin these Ministers lay not to the charge of the people who chose Omri for their King as we can see In the close of their exceptions against our first medium though they thinke they have us fast enough yet they complaine they know not where to hold us we doe so contradict and thwart our selves here only say they we wish them to consider if the superinduction of a power against the wills of many yea of most men which in our plea we justifie be not a selfe-contradiction in reflexion upon that position of theirs viz. Frames of Government are by God resolved into peoples wills And in answer hereto we wish them to consider that this contradiction vanisheth as easily as the former if the case prove ever such as that the will of the most people happen not to be the prevailing will it will be hardly proved that that halfe of the people which made Omri King were the greater halfe though they were the prevailing halfe thus we see this other contradiction falls into accord without any helpe from Sancta clara or Scotus de duno And now having sufficiently as it should seeme broken the bones of our first argument brought to prove the being of these present powers over us from God they proceed to give their sence on our second taken from Rom. 13.2 and then discant upon it First they tell us if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used for Divine Ordination bee any where used for the Lords Ordination of a power which
that will conclude from this Medium say these Cunctators must tarry a while longer even till the end be seene and the winding up of Providence c. God hath taken time to visite the iniquities of them that hate him to the third and fourth Generation Answ The text saith God is a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate him Here is nothing about his taking time to punish this Scripture speakes forth Gods just resolution to protract his Visitations to posterity not to suspend or withhold them from the first Generation he will begin with the sinfull Fathers according to his Oath and that betimes to Bloudy and deceitfull men shall not live out halfe their dayes Psal 55.23 Behold the righteous shall be recompenced in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner Prov. 11.31 What meane ye that ye use this Proverb concerning the Land of Israel saying the Fathers have eaten sower grapes and the Childrens teeth are set on edge As I live saith the Lord God ye shall not have occasion any more to use this Proverb in Israel behold all soules are mine as the soule of the Father so also the soule of the Childe is mine the soule that sinneth it shall dye Ezek. 18.2 3 4. Againe Glorying and boasting of an outward happinesse and successefulnesse is the usuall effect which such prosperity hath upon a wicked heart this is another of their documents to us or rather a charge breathed indirectly upon those in power over us as if successe had fly-blowne their spirits with pride and wrought them to unseemly glorying it is true Providence may be wrested to the support and strengthening of men in evil waies so may the Word of God but those who feare the Lord make not this use of either for our parts we are as shie and jealous of opening providences without the key of the Word and as fearefull of inconsequentiall deductions from them or of abusing them as those are who seeme to account them most sacred and could we judge the Parliament or Army which here they strike at to be haters of God or men counter-working his great designe in these latter dayes did we heare them boast of their hearts desire or the glory of their successes and atchievements otherwise then in humility to the prayses of the most high God we should looke to have the wheele brought over them and that soone for a short worke will the Lord make upon the face of the earth we should thinke that he had lift them up to cast them downe but if they continue to exercise that dependance upon God they have hitherto profest to doe and pursue those ends which they hold out to the World in their appeales to the Majesty of Heaven we are confident that the winding up of Providence will be more comfortable to them then the beginning has been and that they shall have the thankes of that very people whose curses and reproaches they lye under at this day and had we only Providences for the bottome of our perswasions we might in likelihood change our mindes as the people of Melita did Act. 28. but we have a sure word of Prophesie by which examining and trying their state and agency in the worke of this season we conclude that these and these Providences are the issue of former promises and though God carry them back yet that their cause shall goe forward till such a top stone be laid upon it as the people of God shal cry Grace unto and now let us see how our second argument for engageing is dealt withall The mutuall relation of protection and Allegiance presseth us to an owning and realliance with them our present Powers as our actuall Protectours every benefit requiring some duty Our argument proceeds in these termes these Non-subscribers deny that protection and allegiance are propter or secundum else relatives we can scarcely guesse at what they here meane considering what they grant by and by Magistracy and Allegiance indeed they say are Relatives but protection in actu exercito is not simul natura with Allegiance and in actu signato is separable from Magistracy so that they cannot be said properly to be Relata Ans We shall not breake with our Brethren for a Logicall notion supposing they have found a flaw in our Logick we doe not rixari de lana caprina fight for Goats Wooll and in case our expression makes but way for our Conceptions into the mindes of men we use not vervecum in patria crassóque sub aëre in the coasts where we live to subtelize our notions we presume from what they here yeeld that our proposition is Theologically true we grant say they in some sort a relation and so a mutuall connectednesse betwixt Protection and Allegiance this connectednesse serves our turnes fully He is the Minister of God to thee for good saith the Apostle WHEREFORE ye must needs be subject c. and FOR THIS CAVSE pay you tribute also render THEREFORE to all their dues c. Rom. 13.5 6 7. So that had not they granted this relation we should have forc'd it But in accommodating this their generall deliberative to the businesse they strive to husband their Allegiance due from them by reason of this acknowledged connectednesse to our present rulers forcing it by a set of niggardly distinctions in Stillicidia into syllabicall and wary concessions such as is the protection say they such onely can the Allegiance be required to be now the protection is or may be deemed 1 But voluntary supposing the power to be intruded into not lawfully possest and not of Magistraticall duty we say this exception as to our case vanisheth upon our proving the powers that are to be Gods Ordinance furnished and instructed with rule and dominion or Magistratical Authority which we have done already in its place 2 But actuall not fixed or settled it being as we suppose without any Basis of a regular vocation to it Answer 1 By actuall wee guesse that they meane temporary and if they scruple not temporary allegiance we conceive it may come off as conscionably from them (b) Nusquam nunquam licet quod semper ubique non licet Tertul. de Specta all the while they receive protection 2 For the Basis of a regular vocation they suppose our Rulers have none and we on the other side suppose they have such a call as may satisfie the submitting consciences if they mean by a regular cal such a cal as our Parliaments ab initio used to have unto their supream trust we conceive they have it but if they mean such a cal as is every way incorrupt and compleat in all circumstantiall requisites Pind. and formalities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a call as few Magistrates soveraign ones at least have among any people on the earth lastly such a call as no man can except
addresses to him Did he so well but did he grant enough peradventure those who treated with him had no minde to aske what they should have ask'd so we are told those Members proceeded to make such Propositions to the King at the Isle of Wight for a safe and well-grounded peace Dâ—clar Jan. 15. 1648. as if they had been granted and kept of which there was no probability would have returned the people againe to their former slavery c. yea this Treaty was entertained upon such Propositions as the King himselfe also should make which was formerly held to be so destructive to any well setled peace as neither the Houses of Parliament nor the Commissioners for the Kingdome of Scotland did thinke fitting to admit when he was in his greatest height of power whether now is here seene the Kings bounty to the Treaters or their prodigality to him he never would yeeld to recall Ormonds Commission as we are informed granted in the time of the Treaty nor that Episcopacy should be abolished only suspended Oh! royall bounty nor lastly that any one Delinquent should be capitally punished one only according to the Covenant no doubt being offered unto him namely poore David Jenkins in the meane time the worthy Treaters let him alone with his negative voyce and Booke of Common Prayer c. brave daubing so that the Scottish Consistories had cause to lift up their voyces against acquiessing in the Kings Concessions at Newport as being destructive to Religion and Covenant But the House voted these Concessions a ground to proceed upon for the settlement of the peace of the Kingdome Ans We have heard of such a Vote indeed but 't was to us a mysterious Caball we could never get acquainted with the reason of it no more then with their reasons for re-calling those Votes of non-addresses to the King made upon such and so many reasons of great weight unto the least of which there was never any answer given designing Statists use not it seemes to play above board but the reasons of adnulling that Vote for proceeding upon the Kings Concessions are visible Parliament Votes and Parliament reasons doe well together unlesse we should deny the goodnesse of our Cause saith the Parliament which God hath adjudged on our side Declar. Jan. 15 1648. by the gracious blessings of so many signall Victories unlesse we should betray our friends who have engaged with us upon our Votes of Non-addresses to the hazzard of their lives and fortunes unlesse we should value this one man the King above so many Millions of people whom we represent and unlesse we should scorne and contemne any peace which the great God of Heaven and Earth our assured helpe in our greatest distresses hath given us and that we must relye only upon such a peace which the King a Mortall man and our implacable enemy shall allow us unlesse we should give up our selves to the slaughter and suffer our owne Members to undermine the Parliament and Kingdomes Cause unlesse we should stake all to the Kings nothing and Treat with him who hath not any thing to give us c. And lastly unlesse we should value the bloud of so many Innocents and the Army of so many Martyrs who have dyed in this Cause lesse then the bloud of a few guilty persons by what name or title soever stiled we could doe no lesse then repeale those Votes before specified as being highly repugnant to the glory of God greatly dishonourable to the proceedings of Parliament and apparently destructive to the good of this Kingdome And here we should cut off our Web but that for a close we must needs remember what in a margicall note they tell us we forgot viz. That Scripture Job 34.18 and that Morall rule De mortuis nil nisi bonum and why because we call the Kings persistency by no softer a name then inexoriblenesse and implacability plaine dealing is a jewell Sirs the vile person shall be no more called liberall nor the Churle said to be bountifull Isa 32.5 1 Therefore we did not forget that text in Job but these gentle Doctors forgot to take in the 17 vers with the 18. we read them both together and then they expound one another and chide the Classis for putting them asunder Job 34.17 18. Shall even he that hateth right governe and wilt thou condemne him that is most just Is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly If Princes be just God forbid they should be evil spoken of It is not fit to strike Rulers for equity but what if they hate right must no Prophet come within the Princes Chappel must not Kings know their Names Am. 7.13 Thou prophane wicked Prince of Israel saith Ezekiel Thou and thy Fathers house hath troubled Israel saith Elijah Ezek. 21.25 1 King 18.18 2 Chron 16.9 1 Sam. 15. Luk. â—3 32 Herein thou hast done foolishly saith the Seer unto Asa this is plaine dealing Did Samuel spare Saul when he rebelled against the Lord Did our blessed Master the Lord Jesus spare Herod In a word did the generall Assembly of the Kirke of Scotland spare King Charles or might they charge him as a Sabbath-breaker an Idolater a Murtherer and is it a Piaculum or any blasphemy for us poore Mortals to call him an inexorable man the Heathen Lawyer Papinian boldly reproved the Emperour Caracalla for his Parricide and are Kings yet more sacred We are perswaded that sometime within the memory of Man divers Ministers of Lancashire and Cheshire though they opened not their mouthes as Papinian did against Caracalla yet have spoken as grosly of King Charles as ever the Northerne Subscribers did Non enim Sacerdotale est quod Sentias non dicere Ambros 2 Neither did we forget that saying De mortuis nil nisi bonum to speake the truth of the dead is to speake what is ‖ Bonum et verum convertuntur good and if we have spoken otherwise let the World beare witnesse of the evill that rule requires Charity but not in dispendium veritatis The names of the wicked shall rot saith the surer Word so did the names of Ahab Omri and Jeroboam though Kings and how unsavoury doth the Spirit of God make the memory of Ahaz by that brand upon his bones that inscription upon his Grave 2 Chron. 28.22 This is that King Ahaz these Ministers we presume are no strangers to Nazianzens invectives where the deceased * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Orat. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. Paulo post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 19. Julian is drawn to the life to flatter the dead is to wrong the living and to strengthen the hands of wicked men in evil wayes the great discommode of funerall Panegyricks were it not better that a Spade were called a Spade then to say King Charles of blessed memory unlesse there was cause for it truly this Princes Fate is observeable for many who made no more of him either in Presse or Pulpit when hee was alive then one would doe of a dead Dogge a Panaeb Regis defuncti corpus terrâ condunt caput abscindunt inaurant in sacris collocanâ— Causs Hierogl l. 5 c 58. now can hardly beare a word spoken against him See Prov. 24.24 Suet. in Otho Quiescat Obba parum Mantu but upon all occasions rise up as his compurgators but there is no new thing Thus Suetonius tells us it was with Otho Magna pars hominum incolumem gravissime detestata mortuum laudibus tulit but we shall provoke these Royalists indignation no further Here let our Pitchar stand farewell Now the Lord of peace himselfe give us peace alwayes by all means 2 Thes 3.16 FINIS