Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	duty_n	good_a	note_n	1,053	5	9.6415	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62103	A vindication of King Charles: or, A loyal subjects duty Manifested in vindicating his soveraigne from those aspersions cast upon him by certaine persons, in a scandalous libel, entituled, The Kings cabinet opened: and published (as they say) by authority of Parliament. Whereunto is added, a true parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our soveraign, in divers particulars, &c. By Edw: Symmons, a minister, not of the late confused new, but of the ancient, orderly, and true Church of England.	Symmons, Edward.; Symmons, Edward. True parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraign, in divers particulars.	1648 (1648)	Wing S6350A; ESTC R204509	281,464	363

he had received it did He spend it in Luxury upon Himself or unprofitably to the damage of His Subjects Was it not imployed for the dignity and preservation of the Nation Were not the Ships built therewith the strength of the Kingdome Were we not by meanes of them become formidable to all about us Surely from hence it was that our Merchants sailed with more freedom at Sea and their Factors did negociate with more success and regard abroad hence it was that the inhabitants by the Sea Coasts slept more securely in their beds the worshipers of Mahomet durst not revell so neere them nor venture to steal their Children from them as alas of late dayes they have done In a word by the meanes of those ships had they still continued under the Kings Command all our poor Christian Brethren had been pulled ere this out of Bondage and Slavery from Turkish Dens through Gods assistance as diverse of them before had been yea and as was noted before all the people of this Kingdome had been interested in that so Pious and Christian a work by such their Contributions of Ship-money yet this was it they called their great grievance And thus I have shewn in brief the main things for which the King was clamoured against at large Now let all the world speak whether the Church and State were unhappy under his Government whether in the whole course of his Reigne he hath not approved himself a Defender of the true Faith a tender Father of his Country and sincerely affected to his Protestant Subjects And whether these men be not highly ingratefull both to God and him for their suggesting the Contrary But say they in these Letters are things unbeseeming a Prince who professeth himselfe to be such a Defender such a Father and so affected and a perfect Malignant they pronounce him to be that denieth this or cannot see it SECT XII 1. The Adversaries industry to find somewhat unbeseeming the King in his Letters 2. Certaine Christian Considerations propounded to the Readers evidencing them to be free from any such matter 3. Of the Adversaries pertinacy in their Rebellious way their endeavours that their Kings promises might neither be beleeved nor performed TO which we Answer and say That were the King but an ordinary man and did we observe such things in his Letters as they pretend yet remembring the benefits enjoyed by him the personall vertues shining in him throughout the time of his prosperity we should think it disagreeing both from Christianity and Humanity to publish such our observations against him in his adversity But considering him withall to be●our King our Soveraigne we are confident if we did see any thing unbeseeming that we are not bound to say we saw it or to tell others of it nor doe we indeed hold it lawfull but rather to hide it or to make the best of it Apelles was not bound openly to paint Alexanders skar it was allowable for him to lay his finger on it nor was that other Painter obliged plainly to paint Alphonsus wry necked it was lawfull for him to make it so as if he were looking up to Heaven for Alexander and Alphonsus were both Kings and so is Charles and by Gods grace shall still continue so to be in despight of all opposers But in our view of these his Letters we finde that which we conceived might have made their hopes desperate of doing his Majesty hurt by their publication of them and surely we think had not their confidence been great in that strong infection which they suppose their own Notes upon them doe carry with them the world had never seen them for whereas heretofore their endeavours were to darken and disparage the intellectuall vertues of their Soveraigne and peradventure his Majesties easiness at first in beleeving them to be Honest men upon their Religious Pretences and Protestations gave too great a furtherance to that designe David upon like grounds was so deceived in Achitophel But now these his Letters have quite dampt that business for they discover in him such Strength of judgement such Abilities of minde and Dexterity of parts that we are confident in this their divulging of them an everlasting check is given to that malignant Accusation And now his Morall Vertues onely are the Objects of their spleene which by their tongues and pens they hope to blemish and defile and from these his Letters they hope somewhat may be made use of to their assistance But what that Somewhat is will be seen hereafter In the mean time I shall be bold to propose a word of advice to the Readers of these Letters to be observed by them in their perusall of them For as my Duty doth constraine me to defend my Soveraigne so my Conscience and Charity doth perswade me to advise my Brethren for their good though I know the Enemies think to scare me and all men else with the name of Malignants for performing either these men in their impudent Notes have one speciall passage amongst others to this purpose Page 46. Their words are these The King wil declare nothing in favour of his Parliament so long as he can find a party to maintain him in his opposition nor perform any thing which he hath declared so long as he can find a sufficient party to excuse him for it We guess to what purpose this is spoken viz. To intimate that all such who out of conscience or duty shal indevour to vindicate the King from their unjust Caluminations and to preserve people from their snares shal be accounted Maintainers of opposition and excusers of sin and as such persons they intend either secretly or publickly to murder and massacre them But we hope through Gods good grace that neither their tongues nor their swords shal ever terrifie us from discharging our Consciences and we are confident that our God whom we serve who is the God of Peace and Truth wil witness for us that we neither delight in maintaining strife nor yet in excusing sin And for this advise which shal be propounded let the Readers examine it by the Gospel and if it be not agreeable unto that let no man follow it or regard it It is this If they meet in these Letters with any thing which in their apprehensions seems to speak a failing on his Majesties part in performing what he had formerly promised which indeed is one main thing that these King-accusers labour to fasten upon the Readers faith before they imitate these his Enemies and passe a sentence peremptory and condemnatory against their Soveraigne let them but consider of these three particulars 1. Whether the King was Able to keep his word in those things wherin he is apprehended to have failed whether the cause of that failing was not rather Lack of power then want of wil and whether his dis●oyal Subjects who are most apt to accuse him were not they that robbed him of his power and on set

for I am sure 't is not the way of Christ and God nor can I humbly acknowledge your great Labour and endeavours imployed these many yeares in the Reformation and preservation of Church and Common-wealth for I know no such matter but rather the direct contrary I love not to jeere you for such language to you I take to be none other then a plaine jeering of you nor can I tell how to give flattering Titles I am one of Christ's Messengers and have a charge to tell you aloud of your transgressions and of your sinnes perhaps there are but few that will in all things do it so plainly as I have done or shall do but as it is my duty so I thank God it hath alwayes been my custome and care to keep a good Conscience in this matter and though I am guilty of many sinnes for which the Lord be mercifull unto his servant yet praysed be his grace I never had any inward check for any knowne flattery of any in the serious discharge of my calling I hope I may without presumption say that I am as free from that sinne as Luther was from that of Covetousnesse I make no question if you can gripe me you the guilty Faction I meane will deale with me as your Fore-fathers did with my Master Jesus for my going in this his way of plainly detecting Hypocrites and evill men and therefore I shall keep my selfe out of your power so long as I can and doe pray that if it be my portion at last when mine hour is come to fall within your reach I may have strength and patience from above to endure the paines of death which I shall confidently look for at your bloudy hands though let me tell you one thing and it shall be only that which blessed Sanders the Martyr told your brother Stephen Gardiner you were best to take heed of shedding innocent bloud for truly it will cry And as Jerome of Prague did his Enemies at the Councell of Constance so shall I cite you to answer for it before the Tribunall of the most High and just Judge Well this being premised I doe now addresse my selfe unto you for the present in this manner Be it knowne unto you O you unhappy men you have been the principall instruments of all our woes and have given life and motion to all our miseries you are they that have most highly scandalized the Gospell of the Sonne of God by your acting under the profession of it most horrid evills as if that had countenanced you in your so doing you are they that have turned this well-ordered Common-wealth into a confused Chaos and have laboured with all your might to pull down the prosperous Government of this most renowned Church you are they that have persecuted and defamed a most pious King and exposed to eternall disgrace and suspition the Religion of the Protestants you have suppressed silenced banished murthered and undone many thousand Preachers and Professours of it you are they that have deceived your Countrey in abusing that trust which they imposed in you you would be accounted Patriots forsooth but you have acted the part of Butchers rather both upon the soules and bodies of your Countrey-men you would be thought wise men but your wisdome hath been only shown in ill doings you would be esteemed holy persons but where then is that harmlesness that undefiledness which should have appeared in you you have been full of bloud-guiltinesse yea of Rebellion which as the Scripture sayes is like the sinne of Witchcraft Majestie and Mercy were wont to be the strongest guards against Treason till your dayes but you have violently burst through that double fence and pierced through the privie maile of Innocence too Majesty Mercy and Innocence all have been rather as a prey to invite your evill natures then any guard to keep you back from offering violation O to what an high pitch have you ascended what transcendent impieties what blouds and blasphemies have you countenanced and committed quis talia fando temperet à lachrymis who without flouds of tears is able to expresse or think of what you have acted First for the Title of Patriots which you thirst after O had you been advised by your King had you closed with your Soveraign when he at first committed things to your care to order rectifie and settle for our good had you minded that work for which you met and made that your businesse as he would have had you how should we all have rejoyced in the very mention of you as of Patriots indeed how should we have hugged your names in our affectionate memories and conveyed them to Posterity with a charge to keep in everlasting Honour As Adam and Eve were our undertakers or representers in Paradise so were you in Parliament and as God to them so the King to you gave a Liberty over all the Plants and Creatures in his Garden restrained you in nothing save onely from one particular thing which was the forbidden fruit but nothing would satisfie your ambitious reach save onely that whereby you have brought upon us all Gods heavie curse and all kinde of miseries O how farre were you from the disposition of honest Joseph who being tempted to meddle with that which belonged not to him was with-held by the consideration of that great trust which his Master had reposed in him and of that liberty and authority which in all things else was granted to him And how did God soone after reward this his faithfulnesse by advancing him to as great Authority over the whole Realm as he had before over one Family wherein also all but the Throne was at his disposing in that only sayes Pharaoh I will be above thee which he good man was farre enough from seeking after for his endeavours only were to settle Pharaoh more firmly in it and to advance his wealth and dignity as the story at large tells us by which meanes he procured honour and favour sufficient to himselfe both with God and Man he lived desired of all and died lamented by the whole Nation O I say that you had had the wisdome and the grace to have imitated this Joseph this good Councellour of State you were tied in as great engagements of gratitude as he but you without any other temptation save only the corruption of your owne hearts have laboured to ravish from your Lord and Master his reserved jewell of Majestie and to rob him of his wealth and of the hearts of his people yea and to invest your selves with that Honour and esteem which with your strongest studies you ought to have fastened eternally to his Crown and Diademe Therefore you must never think however your flatterers doe bedawb you that you shall ever be dignified by good men with that Title of Abraes as Joseph was or be reckoned for Patriots of your Countrey I have read that true Patriots have these foure conditions 1. They will

did hurt or harme unto us they that brought you into these miseries however they courted and encouraged you before will reject your complaints with a quid haec ad nos you should have looked to these things before hand for Pharisees will be Pharisees unto the worlds end It is a fearefull thing to be given up to shed bloud King James would say if God should leave him to kill a man he would think God did not love him and I believe your selves were of the same opinion all the while the Doctrine of Jesus Christ which commandeth love to enemies did season your hearts but what a strange alteration is there now in your dispositions since the Doctrine of Devils hath been preached unto you for no other is this of butchering your brethren of killing slaying and destroying then the doctrine of him who is a murtherer from the beginning you would not have been hired heretofore to have acted the executioners part which is a lawfull office upon a Malefactor condemned by lawfull Authority so tender you were of shedding bloud but now you make no scruple at all of it you are greedy and thirsty many of you to spill the bloud of Innocents only for their constancy in that Doctrine of Obedience and Loyalty to the King which your selves also in Christs Schoole have been instructed in meerly upon the temptation and motion of them you call the Parliament who have no more Authority over the lives of men without the Kings allowance then your servants have over yours nay which is more strange yet you are bewitched by their seduction to think that in killing your Brethren you do God service though our Saviour fore-speaking of this very particular shewes the ground of this ill opinion to be only ignorance of God and want of knowledge Nay not only those that have been Agents or Souldiers in this Rebellion but in like manner all you who have willingly contributed Plate Moneyes Horses or any thing tending to the advancement of it I feare you are under the guilt of bloud and will be indicted one day at Gods barre as accessaries to all these evills that have been committed against the King and against your brethren all the men and all the women that brought in their Salts Spoones Rings and Thimbles by the suggestion and perswasion of false Teachers must hold up their hands at Gods Tribunall as guilty persons for doing things by the seduction and example of others so cleane contrary to that light of the Gospell which so many years together had been taught unto them O friends strong and strange is the delusion that is fallen upon you and thick is the veile that is over your eyes farre are you gone without looking back and most difficult is it yet to perswade you to it I have often feared with my selfe that place in Esay to have too neer a relation to you The hearts of this people are made fat their eyes dim and eares heavie and to continue so till the Cities be wasted without an inhabitant the houses without man and the Land be utterly desolate I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ think seriously upon the matter O that I could perswade you to it while there is time for repentance and save your selves at length yet from this untoward generation break their yoak from off your necks renounce their societies have no more to doe with them read mark and ponder upon that place Prov. 1. 10. to the 20. Verse and remember from whence you are fallen and return to your Loyalty O Countrey-men Return return and to provoke you more earnestly hereunto consider with your owne hearts of these particulars 1. Whether this way wherein you have gone be not directly opposite both to Christs Doctrine and example doth not the Gospell command to give tribute to whom Tribute is due feare to whom feare and Honour to whom Honour belongeth and doth it not teach that all these appertain to the King and yet have they not all been with-held from him was not our Saviours practice in this particular most remarkable for our imitation He wrought but one money miracle while he was on the Earth and that was to have wherewithall to pay Caesar his Homage and himselfe sayes he did it least he should offend so carefull was he not to displease the King and being tempted at another time to give some countenance for with-holding the Kings Rights disclaimed the motion and cryed out redde Caesari quae sunt Caesaris Deo quae sunt Dei inferring that God and Caesar in such matters go together to injure the one is to wrong the other for God hath commanded that Caesar be honoured and that all which is his be rendred to him Now whether you and your Leaders have done according to this doctrine and example let your own consciences judge 2. Consider whether this way wherein you have gone be not also contradictive to the Law of the Land The denyall of the Kings Supremacy in this Kingdome hath been wont to be accounted so heinous an offence that he who is guilty of it is judged by the Law to die as a Traytor And the doing of any thing in prejudice of the Kings Authoritie as the raising of Forces without him nay the having but thoughts of mischief towards him though they never breake forth into Action is reckoned by the Law for no lesse then High Treason and some have suffered death for such things nay further yet the bare instilling misconceits of the King into the people to with-draw their affections from him hath even in this very Parliament been cald High Treason Now whether the Kings Supremacy not only in things Spirituall but also Temporall be not denied and whether by your opposition to his Majesties Person and commands and by whispering yea by open speaking evilly of him and consenting to what hath been written against him you have not made your selves guilty of that grand Crime let your own consciences also determine unto you 3. Consider whether it be not against common equity to practice the taking away from any one that which comes unto him by lawfull inheritance succession or just election whether you would not so judge it if any should divest you of what was left you by your Parents and whether the Kings Authority and Revenews which you with others have endeavoured to dispossesse him of be not of the same Tenure and held by the best Title indeed if men come to power and Authority by fraud and violence as your new Masters have done the case is otherwise lives lost in conspiring the downfall of such may be reckoned well sold every man in common equity were there no tie of duty or allegeance is to help him to right that suffers wrong but to concurre in oppressing the Supreme Magistrate and in taking from him what belongs unto him if conscience be suffered to make report it will be confessed to be the