and Majestick Hence we fell to a debate whether we had not already yea whether most men had not interpretativè owned the Powers in Being viz. by submitting their cases to tryal in that course of law which fetcheth its formality and original from them and is dispensed by their substitutes and inferior Officers and those of us who are Lawyers whether by pleading at the Bar and owning their Judges as proprietors of the Bench we did not own those who Commissioned them yea whether all of us in paying them tribute have not set our seal to their Authority and its lawfulness if we have gone this mile with them how should we refuse to go the other mile too even to give them honor and fear as well as tribute Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome fear to whom fear and honor to whom honor be longeth if nothing had belonged to them we should have given them-nothing real acknowledgments always in the sense of wise men overweighing verbal disownings Lastly those of us who are Ministers found our selves surprized by our own prayers for them as men possest of power to give them homage by our making request to God that they might use their talents well we found this included that they had their talents from God we have owned them in their declarations days of thanksgiving and humiliation and we think it but straining at a gnat if we should refuse to set our hands to engage with them who have had our tongues yea sure and our * Peccant qui d ssidium cordis linguae faciunt c. Pic. Mirand Ep. hearts likewise at their commands and disposall as to such duties Hence reflecting upon our wayes we fell to a more deliberate and strict scrutiny whether all this were well done and justifiable yea or no being solemnly put upon it at the instance of our own consciences that we might be both void of offence towards God and towards men and by the confident and ill-boding presumptions of many knowing and considerable persons against the present Authority Act. 24.19 decrying its lawfulness and in their discourses taking it as for granted that no conscientious man could own the Parliament as now constituted or its power We thought sure their reasons are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very ponderous which disoblige them from that visible Authority over us but all that we could gather from them fell very much below our expectations and being weighed in the ballance proved far too light for what might be laid against it Our consciences suggesting ready and as we thought full answers to their most material and weighty alledgments and finding our selves able to set reason against reason yea had it becomed us confidence against confidence meeting with perswasions to a complyance and closure with the Parliament stronger then any perswasions to disunion we thought it not best to take up with vox populi being an insufficient warrant for any mans refusal to co-engage or fall in with the Authority but diligently to search whether we ought to go forward or backward and the more we enquired into the minde of God concerning us the more we found this duty for which we plead cleared up to our consciences Now the principal Arguments offering themselves to us for this purpose and prevailing above us were these 1. The Being of these present powers over us from God which we found Argum. 1 thus made out unto us 1. All constitutions have their making and marring their standing and falling from God frames of Government indeed are resolved by him into the peoples * will Deut. 17.14 as the next and immediat cause of their specification or formality and what kinde of Government they will for their own good the Lord sets his Seal upon it as owning and approving it this is clear in that translation of Government from the Judges in Israel and the setting up of Kingly Power in the person of Saul 1 Sam. 8.9 10 12. Chapters But that here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hand of God in the VVills of men in these cases appears from his appropriating such changes to himself both as to persons and things Ezek 21.27 Zachar. 11.10 14. Hos 13.11 Ier. 18.4 Act. 13.10 21 22. The Policies of Nations are some of Gods VVorks upon the wheeles which he orders and frames as seemeth good to himself man is the instrument and subject in all changes but the being or not being of them must be resolved into Gods VVill as the Supream and Primordial cause He doth according to his VVill in the Army of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him What dost thou Dan. 4.35 But here men put in with a full cry We desired not Object or willed this change of Government this new Frame or Modell superinduced over us nor yet can we content our selves with it To this we Answer some men desired it others did not Answ in this case the prevailing not the worsted or overborn party may lay claim to the signature of Divine approbation or at least to the concurrence of Gods * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Admonit ad Gentes absolute Will without which no purposes and by which all purposes are brought to pass and established Psa 33.11 12. This is seen in Rehoboams rejection 1 Kings 12.15.24 The Text tells us that the cause and the thing was from God Again when the people were divided about the choice of a King 1 Kings 16.21 22. the prevailing party were owned in their choice God never manifesting any dislike of it nor ever reproving Omry or his Successors for usurpation And if this hold good in the choice of a Governor why may it not in the choice of a Government and then surely that is of God which by his Providence is superinduced over us though its superinduction be never so much stomack't by the surly wills of many of most men 2. That place of Scripture Rom. 13.1 amongst many others is very full and pregnant to prove the Being of our present Powers from God Not only Magistracy in common is his Ordinance as King and Soveraign of the whole Earth but the specifical Powers that * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be likewise are by the Ordination of God as the first and chief cause of all Beings The word here rendred Ordained we conceive to be of great force for the legitimating our powers it being often used to signifie events and appointments flowing from the eternal efficacious Decree of God as Act. 13.48.22.10 c. in which God cannot be a Spectator onely or a permitter but must needs lay to his hand as a powerful VVorker yea in an eminent and signal manner too this we shall evidence he hath done in our Case by and by for if the permission of God which extends it self to evil sin or privative defects be not without his
with his uninterrupted goodness towards us ever since make up an evidence of Gods signal owning that power in Being over us which is the product of these wonders If Providence can speak any thing of his minde or ever did in any age of the world Psalm 19.2 If the Lords workings be not dumb shews if there be any language in them it is that of Shemaiah to all that would lift up themselves against our present Authority 1 Kings 12.24 Return every man to his house for this thing is from the Lord not from him onely as an overseer of things doing and an orderer of things done for his glory but as an efficatious worker in producing this very change according as he useth to shew himself in all those events and those onely which are of special complacency to him Isaiah 23.9 The Lord of hosts hath purposed to stain the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the Earth Surely this word is come to the birth we beleeve and therefore we speak The anointed of the Lord will certainly make Monarchy and Monarchs Psalm 2.9 c. the present pride and glory of many Nations as infamous as ever they have been famous If Kings be not wise if they serve him not with fear if they set themselves against the Lord Apoc. 21.24 and comply not with his interest in the world if they bring not their glory and honor to the New Jerusalem he will pour shameful spuing upon their glory yea though they bear themselves up in their port and pride Isaiah 60.15 as Behemoth in the waters of Jordan he will dash their Scepters in pieces like a potters vessel and make them bow to the soles of their feet whom he hath promised to make an eternal Excellency even the Saints of the most high God Dan. 7.28 Heb. 12.28 who shall receive a Kingdom which cannot be shaken The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this Having thus cleered our first Argument as the main foundation upon which we build our obedience being of most powerful and direct influence upon our consciences From this holding Plea we pass to a second Argument The mutual relation of Protection and Allegiance every benefit requiring Argum. 2 some duty presseth us to a cheerful owning the Parliament and to a re-alliance with them as our actual Protectors in subscribing to be true and faithful c. This Argument is hinted in the Act for Subscription Act. Jan. 2. 1649. and not without special reason considering how ready men are to forget themselves and to trip up the heels of such as support them We need not labor in specifying or aggravating the benefits of Protection they being of so obvious a sense to all who prize Religion Life Liberty or Property And we understand not what duties answer the nature and claim of such benefits If a thankful owning of those persons and powers through whose hands they are dispenced to us and a cheerful submission to them be denied If we give not that which God requires will our offering be accepted and wherewith shall we make an atonement for our ingratitude Here again many interpose as not willing to be thought undutiful we Object 1 can cheerfully submit to the Authority say they And that out of Conscience in things lawful but to acknowledg and approve of them as lawful powers we cannot Answ There may be wisdom which we see not or rather policy in this but to our sense the objectors seem rather nice then wise We never knew how to divide the hair or distinguish betwixt a conscientious subjection to any powers over us and an owning them as full and lawful powers ordained of God Conscientious submission consignifies a conscientious owning the powers and presumes or implies their lawfulness otherwise Conscience would not interpose so far All the tribute of duty which Conscience exacts being paid as to God will be ill performed if we pay them in to a wrong hand The case indeed is changed when a man submits upon another account then Conscience as from Policy Fear c. But Conscientious obedience hath no such flaw in it as a mental reservation of so strange and implicatory a purport as this I obey out of Conscience and yet I judg the powers so unlawful as that their commands have no influence upon my Conscience at all Object 2 Others say Their self-seeking and oppression make us we cannot own them so heartily as otherwise we might Answ 1. Many cry out against self-seeking who love themselves and their interests as impatiently as any Member of the Councel of State whatsoever can do his and thousands amongsts us make a noise about oppression who pay them not a groat a quarter yea our quondam Publicans exclaim heavily Burdens Burdens Dic mihi si fueris tu leo qualis eris Deut. 32.6 But Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise 2. Those men rather sought themselves who sought the Kings favor and tackt about to his interest who would plead his cause rather then not kiss his hand as that man who blushed not to aver That the Kings Concessions were the largest the safest and the beneficiallest that ever were granted by any King to his Subjects since the Creation Did they seek themselves who to the apparent jeopardy of them and their posterities durst take such a Lion by the beard as they did Neither have they yet divided his inheritance by line amongst them nor voted an everlasting Parliament as many ad invidiam suggest to make their houses great or themselves Princes over us But to proceed We shall mention but one Argument more viz. Argum. 3 We know not how to approve our hearts before God if we should put our selves out of a capacity of serving his Providence while he offers us opportunity thereunto as we should do by refusing this Engagement Now every man almost cries out Isai 3.6 7. Let me not meddle make me not a ruler to this people let not this breach be under my hand We think it most seasonable standing up in the gap as our callings may require and offering our services to the God of our lives and comforts This we have spoken to already in the beginning of our Plea And truly we are much pressed in our spirits and cannot but wait upon the Lord going forwards while he leads us When Israel sate still they were ever hankering after Egypt therefore said the Lord sometime unto Moses Speak to the people that they go forward And that which many call Back-sliding we doubt not to take for Progression If God leads a people beyond their non-ultra or the limits of their own prefixt thoughts or expectations they usually grutch him their company Israel would go willingly out of Egypt the place of their bondage but when they met with any staggering difficulties or amuzing providences in their journeys they fell to chiding with God
of Peace and Righteousness Thus we leave what hath been said to the Consciences of those men who set the Covenant as a partition wall betwixt themselves and the Engagement We come now to the oath of Allegeance and shall draw out our sense touching that as briefly as may be 1. The ground of that Oath we conceive to be our actuall protection and not meerly the Kings obligation to protect us as some would have it for miserable is that people like to be See the Oxford Reasons c. Rom. 13.4 whose welfare is no otherwise provided for then thus Kings having got a knack to disoblige themselves of their duty towards their subjects when they list Men do not swear Allegeance to Magistrates as dropping from heaven over them like poor Earthlings created meerly to bear up their trains but as Ministers ordained and chosen for their service and good We ever thought that the Stipulations betwixt a Prince and people were * Junius Brutus p. 97 c. Ames Med. de Jurament de Consc l. 4. c. 2â— mutual and always held it a safe rule That if he who promiseth mutually will not perform what he promiseth our Obligation is not binding But how well the late King performed his part we shall have reason to remember Again the formal Cause of a promissory Oath ceasing the Obligation it self ceaseth but the formal Cause as we said of Allegeance a Protection This needs no proof the Arguments against it being non-suited over and over in the Court of Reason and Truth therefore we conceive our selves loosed from Allegeance according to that Oath its correlate and foundation being taken away Thus the Portugals plead in our case The Kings of Castile say they Histor Liberat. Lucit l. 2. Though admitted the Kings of Portugal yet may be rejected 1. Because they have not kept those Covenants which they were sworn to at their entrance on the Crown cap. 3. 2. By reason of their male-administration of Government to the destruction of the Common-wealth without hope of remedy cap. 4. 3. By reason of their tyranny cap. 5. 4. By the Law of nature which enables a people to defend themselves against all such as seek their ruine and extinction cap. 7. 5. Neither did they conceive their Oath of Allegeance hindered this Praeclaro facinori non obstitit juramentum praesâ—itum regi Castellano l. 3. c. 4. Did we not cut our own throats and were we not accessory to our own undoing if by the servile abasing our selves to a tyrants will we should give him the advantage of ruining us This were a palpable yielding up that which most Kings reach out their hands for Even that we are made for them and not they for us and for our good 2. When we swear homage and obedience to our Lord and Superior who afterwards ceaseth to be our Lord and Superior the * Quum aufertur ratio formalis juramenti juramentum cessat ratione evenâ—us qui casus est eorum qui jurarunt se obedituros Domino aut Principi alicui qui postea cessat esse talis Amâ—â— de Consc l 4. c. 22. Obligation ceaseth This Rule Henderson makes use of in his first Paper to the King at Newcastle and will be irrefragable by all the Reason in the world Can this Oath therefore binde us now our Superior is not However taken away by might or right cavent actor Well but we hear many say The King cannot die it is to be supposed they mean it of a death in Law not a natural death and then being our Law is called the Soul of Reason it would be known what Reason can be given of that maxime Surely a King dethroned is dead in Law and this may perswade plain men to question the universal and holding verity of it If he may die as King we doubt not but his person may die but a King laid aside or dead dies as King otherwise there could be no such thing as an Interregnum of which we read frequently in all Chronicles Again we ever thought that a Kings Coronation was his actual investiture with Power or his Constitution as King and sure it will be accepted and excuse us if when we hear of any such King amongst us we grutch him not our Allegeance if we swear Homage to the Kings Successors they must either succeed him before we can perform it or else our Oath ties us to his Children or Heirs while he lives as well and fully as when he is dead If any of the late Kings Children do de facto succeed him as King or Heir his Power we shall be their Liege people but for a Succession de jure as we are made no judges of any such thing so we know not what it means We swear Allegeance not to Kingly power as we conceive but to our Royal Protectors and he that is not actually our Liege Lord we cannot be termed his Liege Subjects for Relations stand and fall together We know little of the mysteries in Law for the greatest part of us neither do we conceive it necessary for the approving our hearts unto God that we apply our selves to the search of them If there be any thing hid in the Laws which prejudiceth our Rights and Just Liberty as this Maxime That the King cannot die according as it useth to be urged seems to do we shall thank the Parliament for calling us to subscribe if our subscription may work its abolition But if men when they say The King cannot die mean this viz. That that Legislative or Executive Power Fundamental to a Nations Being cannot die we are ready to kiss their lips and grant it true Thus that power which the Spaniard had by Law in the Netherlands still lives in the States of those United Provinces though he be rejected and thus the Kings power lives in our present Parliament else we were all but dead men Having thus cleared our grounds for subscription and shewed its consistencie with those sacred ties which fall not asunder of themselves We shall conclude with a request to our dissenting neighbors that they would not confidently or magisterially sleight what is capable of their serious consideration in this our plea Men that study an impartial search of truth and conscientious satisfaction in the crowd of different perswasions must not be resolved to maintain any * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non est pudor ad meliora transire Ambros Hypothesis of their own however their understandings have been educated He that gratifies his affection at so high a rate as to make it umpire in any contest cheapens the Jewel of truth so faintly as if he intended not to buy it and basely prostitutes the soveraignty of his Judgment We cannot weigh things by affection and reason too divers weights are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 20.23 and a false ballance is not good a few grains of affection will overpoize many drams of reason and we are all apt to overween our habituated perswasions and to set them up as the first second and third argument against contrariety in Judgment to us however bottomed we are apt to think them yea and call them impregnable and invincible as Montanus overvaluing his two poor parishes in Asia Euseb Eccles hist li. 5. Pepusa and Tymium called them Jerusalem Hence commonly ariseth that confidence which makes men dictators rather then disputers and is no competent testimony of truth being but like a wager which according to the proverb Is a fools argument Two Franciscan Fryars would needs be burnt at a stake to prove Savanarola an Heretick Phil. de Comm. li. 8. and a Jacobine Fryar offers himself to the flames to prove he was no Heretick yet these premises were not demonstrative or of power to espouse the judgment of any impartiall seeker to the conclusion they inferred Savanarola might hold the truth notwithstanding that argument the Franciscans brought against him and an error notwithstanding the Jacobines confidence videtur quod sic and videtur quod non sic had better becomed them both Truly this is the temper of many dissenters amongst us as to the engagement they will seem rather to offer themselves to an outlary banishment imprisonment and what not out of prepossession and prejudice then shew any face of reason at all to prove the unlawfulness of subscribing to the present Authority Others that have their conscientious reasons are as shie of propounding them as if those who differ from them were not men to be argued with as denying some common principle that carries its evidence in it self It is not here * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. undertaken but essay'd to perswade their consciences and briefly to lay down some of those grounds on which our engagement with the Parliament out of conscience is built that it may not be presumed or concluded as commonly it useth to be that there is little conscience in any saving in those who put themselves on the suffering side We shall not apologize much in the behalf of this our Plea onely thus we live far from the scene of action and information and have little acquaintance with great mens spirits and tempers being of the smaller people we know not how this controversie is dignosc't and scand or what â—hapes it puts on amongst those larger heads and men of greatned expeâ—iences by reason of their higher callings relations and imployments who â—appily as 't is said of Berengarius may know all things knowable we have search't onely to finde out duties and must be excused as ignoâ—ant of their several Pleas if we touch not upon all mens gravamina or â—hose scruples which make them contrary in perswasion and action to us Yea if sometimes we strike unwittingly besides the nail if we be less exact or full in our Salvo's then the nature of such a business may require Yea if happily we mistake in any thing of moment we speak but our own sense which at so great a distance from Authentique informers may be easily deceived Sed non pigebit nos sâ—oubi haesitamus quaerere nec pudebit nos sicubi erramus nâ—â— corrigare August De Trinit Li. 1. cap. 1. FINIS