Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	humane_a	law_n	obligation_n	1,134	5	9.8189	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66765	Paralellogrammation an epistle to the three nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland, whereby their sins being parallel'd with those of Judah and Israel, they are forewarned, and exhorted to a timely repentance, lest they incur the like condempation : to render it the more effectual, some considerable notions are therein expressed touching ceremonies, and things indifferent, the Lords supper, the civil government, the taking of oaths, the mark of the beast, the library of conscience, the great Sabbath, and the two witnesses, with other particulars of concernment interwoven / written by Geo. Wither.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1662 (1662)	Wing W3176; ESTC R11575	78,735	140

Kingdom But that King or Supream Power who shall conform to the fore-going Prediction shall be tho Protarrhon and have the honour of the first true Vice-regency under Jesus Christ within his own Dominions There shall the Throne of Evangelical Righteousness first begin to be established or at least there shall be the first evident preparation for that Monarchy It must then be acknowledged Kings and their Subjects being Relatives that all the mischieves which have befallen to Mankind in all Nations have proceeded equally from themselves yet as I said before by GOD's permissive Providence for a just punishment of their sins by each other and the People must submit patiently to the yoke until he vouchsafeth to take it off For as it hath given Wickedness Wicked-men and Devils opportunities to manifest their Natures toward the perfecting of an experimental knowledge in Evil to their shame So it hath occasioned also the manifestation of the Justice Mercy and Goodness of GOD to his Glory in making good what he had promised to his Elect by his Providential changing of Governments and Governors setting up pulling down inlarging or restraining as may best conduce to the punishment of Sin to the encouragement of Vertue to the exercising of the Patience Faith Humility Constancy Love and other Graces of the Saints as also to the improving in them an experimental knowledge of that which is Good together with a detestation of all that is Evil that they might at last overcome Evil with Goodness which gives an answer to all those Queries which have often been proposed by the Children of GOD when they have observed the Prosperity of the wicked whilst they are afflicted These things considered it will be a Transgression against the Providence of GOD if any private Persons or Parties howsoever oppressed thereby shall endeavour by Preaching Writing or Speaking seditiously much more by attempting it in an Hostile manner the innovating changing or disturbing the Government or Governors whereunto they are subjected and they are Rebels against GOD's Ordinance there being no other ordinary means left to the People who are by them oppressed but humbly Petitioning declaring their Grievances and pleading for their due Priviledges by legal Proceedings and by Appealing to GOD for redress of their Sufferings who doth heed all Oppressions and will provide Deliverers as he did for the Israelites in Egypt when there was no likelihood of a Deliverance For when Princes infatuated by their own pride and corruption or by the giddiness of their young Counsellors over-voting wiser men as appears in Rehoboam shall so add to the provocations of their Forefathers by their personal impieties against GOD or by so oppressing the People as Rehoboam did he will either rend from them the hearts of the greatest part of them as he did from that foolish King or by some other way and a Remedy will soon after follow without any irregular endeavors by the private Heads or Hands of any one of his Saints which would but exasperate their oppressors give them those advantages which they watch for to colour the utter destroying of those whom they oppress with an appearance of executing Justice upon them and it would defer also that Deliverance which is Providentially designed Therefore not presuming as their Counsellor but as their Humble Remembrancer I do hereby desire that the King and his Counsellors as also the People might be hereby put seasonably in mind to consult with the Laws of GOD of Nature of their own Nation and with their own Consciences what they will dictate unto them concerning their Duties to GOD and to each other in such Cases And that they may use their rational Faculties to that purpose I offer to their serious disquisition these following Queries 1. Whether that which was not ordained for its own sake but for the sake of that which was precedent and more worthy ought to be preferred before that for whose sake only it was ordained 2. Whether there can be Treason committed by one of any two Parties against the other between whom there is not a Mutual Trust and Reciprocal Obligation 3. Whether if that Allegiance and Mutual Trust which is between two Parties be by one of them evidently infringed the other be not thereby absolutely freed from that Allegiance 4. Whether it be in the just Power of any humane Authority to make that Treason which is not Treason by the Law of Nature and Trust or any thing to be that which really it is not 5. Whether a whole Nation or the greatest part thereof can be guilty of Treason against their Supream Magistrate failing of his Trust in that for which he was ordained in the judgment of the greatest number of those who intrusted him and whether they who are Confederates with him in the breach of that Trust and in oppressing the People ought to be reckoned as a part of that People 6. Whether a considerable part of those People who are peaceable in their lives and conversations and seek nothing but an enjoyment of those Freedoms and Rights which belong unto them by the Laws of GOD Nature and the Nation may not without just blame Petition to be freed from those Oppressions which are imposed by humane Laws and when they who are violently invaded in their Possessions or in the exercise of their Consciences toward GOD according to his Fundamental Laws may not warrantably stand upon their guard though they may not take up Offensive Arms as well as a private person may Se defendendo endeavour to preserve his life and his Hereditory Possessions from an injurious Assailant in which case as I conceive he is Indempnified by the Law of our Nation 7. Whether all Oaths Engagements and Covenants whatsoever taken entred into and made by compulsion contrary to the Laws of GOD and Nature be not void ipso facto and to be repented of rather than kept when the Conscience is rightly informed These Queries being rightly resolved both Kings and their Subjects may be truly informed how they ought to regulate their Judgements and Actings in relation to each other for the preservation of their honour peace and safety but private Persons who shall undertake to Resolve them will perhaps be thought more bold than wise and they will rarely be Resolved impartially either by any Supream Magistrate who is not a true Lover of Justice or by any of the Commonalty who prefers Licentiousness before a true Christian or manly Freedom muchless by any of them whose irregular Courses are destructive to their Kings their Country and to their own well-being Therefore instead of giving my private sense upon the said Queriès I leave that to those whom it more concerns and advise all those who think themselves oppressed by those who act under and for the Supream Power and are doubtful how to behave themselves in such wise that they may neither transgress the Ordinances of GOD nor give occasion of offence to their Governors to put on the pure

PARALELLOGRAMMATON An EPISTLE to the three Nations of England Scotland and Ireland whereby their Sins being Parallel'd with those of Judah and Israel they are forewarned and exhorted to a timely Repentance lest they incur the like Condemnation To render it the more effectual some Considerable Notions are therein expressed touching Ceremonies and things indifferent The LORD's Supper The Civil Government The taking of Oaths The Mark of the Beast The Liberty of Conscience The great Sabbath and the Two Witnesses with other Particulars of Concernment interwoven Written by GEO. WITHER If this be not of GOD 't is evil And was inspired by the Devil But whence it was it will be known For that which is of GOD hee 'l own Ezek. 3. 17. Son of man I have made thee a watchman to these Nations Therefore according to my Word give them Warning from me If thou warn them and they turn not from their wickedness they shall surely die in their iniquity but thou hast delivered thy Soul Be not afraid of them nor of their words nor of their looks though they be a rebellious People and as Bryars and Thorns unto thee Ezek. 2. 6. Imprinted MDCLXII years after the Birth of Christ to prepare for the year MDCLXVI after his Passion The Printer to the Reader THe Author hereof intending whilst he was Prisoner in Newgate that this Epistle should be committed to any one who would honestly and conscientiously undertake the Publication thereof it came a while after the date to my hands But finding it not authorized to be imprinted I was for a time fearful to make an Impression thereof yet having seriously perused it I thought the same so pertinent to GOD's Glory and the present condition of these Nations not to permit such necessary Precautions Forewarnings and Exhortations to be smothered that I have adventured upon what such a seeming Transgression may make me liable unto hoping there being no prohibition to the contrary the publick benefit will more than recompence the Offence if it shall be offensive to any in regard I have done it conscientiously and not in contempt of Orders which are otherwhile by ingogitancy or casualty obstructive to their own good intentions by whom they are made Let therefore the Approvableness of the matter and my well-meaning excuse me and let us make such good use thereof that we may be all the more excusable to GOD and men This is all I have to say but that it was not my fault it could not be finished at the Press until this third day of May 1662 being long time after the date of the Epistle So Farewel This for a Postscript hereunto I 'le add Which from the Author by report I 've had He that this Book by parcels do●h peruse May both the Author and himself abuse In the way of this Address to his own Country-men the Author humbly tenders this following Epigram To the Pastors Elders and other Members of the French and Dutch Congregations inhabiting within the Islands of Great Britain I Have but seen your Countries not yet known Their Constitution as I do mine own And therefore justly cannot to your Nations As I might unto these make Applications But they and we have been professed One In Faith and Christian Love some years now gone And I shall do the best of my endeavour That so again it may be and for ever The Jewish Prophets very often hinted What being heeded well might have prevented The Judgments afterward inflicted on Egypt Damascus Tyre and Babylon With other Neighbouring Nations So might I Had I the self-same gift of Prophecy Presage to you what darkly I foresee Their Lot in probability will be When we have drawn forth our unless with heed They seek how to avert what may succeed And prosecute what Prudence doth require When men behold their Neighbours house on fire Your Countries may perhaps discern by this Some things that are among themselves amiss And by the Constellations in our sphear What Exhalations are engendring there If you so think and shall it not contemn Let it communicated be to them For whatsoere I either seem or am From whom to you these Premonitions came They may be of concernment and are sent In hearty Love and with a good intent If you with Love vouchsafe them good regard I have my whole aim and a full reward The sev'ral Churches and the sev'ral States Of Protestants will have the self-same Fates Throughout all Europe with small difference Unless they in another mode commence Than yet they do and sensible become Of that which they are lately fallen from For self-love and neglecting of each other Will singly ruine all or altogether I somewhat have to utter if GOD shall Enable me to those without our Pale But they so wholly seem to have forgot Piedmonts late Case and Germany's sad Lot That they must see a Storm again appear Before ought can be spoke that they will hear Our Corosives if ev'r we shall be so Have made us sit that Plaisters may unto Our Ulcers be apply'd They smart and prick I therefore am become an Emperick And this Catholicon as it befalls Was pressed from between the Prison walls Which is not only at this time a Den Of Thieves but also cram'd with honest men Newgate March 8 1662. Your Servant in the Love of Christ Jesus George Wither PARALELLOGRAMMATON An Epistle Exhortatory and Premonitory to all the Nations in the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland with the Dominions and Territories to them belonging The Muses language suits with few of those Who most need this I therefore now in Prose Express my mind My Pen LORD so direct That what I write may have some good effect GEORGE WITHER an unworthy Servant of Jesus Christ and of all his Servants called through that Annointing of the holy Spirit whereby every true Professor of Christianity is qualified for the work of his Generation wisheth Grace and Peace in the same Christ Jesus to all the Inhabitants of England Scotland and Ireland with the Colonies and Territories to them belonging Providence dearly beloved Brethren hath so disposed of me that I have neither Civil nor Martial employment as heretofore nor Parochial Congregational or Oeconomical charge incumbent upon me or so much as any certain place of Residence upon Earth except a Prison confining me to a local or particular duty relating to others nor Estate or Affairs in the world to intangle me Therefore being a Freeman in the Spirit though in corporeal Bands for discharging my Conscience and obeying GOD rather than Men and left at large in respect of other obligations I conceive my self bound to bestow the little remainder of my life in some National Services whereby GOD may be glorified my Brethren edified and my Country preserved from Destruction I am not altogether unknown unto you For I undertook long since to be a Remembrancer to these Islands of Great Britain with a Resolution to execute that Office

prevails with me that I can communicate with the Members of any Christian Congregation if they will admit it to break Bread in remembrance of Christ's Passion and in any other pious Duties provided the Communicants be not scandalously prophane in their lives or obstinate Professors of Antichristian Principles destructive to the essence of Faith or humane Society yea though there be a surplusage or defect in some circumstances provided also my Conscience checks me not therein for being a stumbling-block to other of my weak Brethren And I do ingenuously confess that in some particulars wherein I practically comply not with others I could do it without offending mine own Conscience in respect of the things themselves if I be not enjoyned to acknowledge that is necessary which I think not so to be to profess I believe that which I cannot believe or if I were not conscientiously fearful I should thereby give encouragement to Superstition and be a more dangerous offence to the weak ones of a contrary Judgment than would consist with Christian Charity the Glory of GOD and mine own internal quiet And whether I shall at any time hereafter conform or not conform to other mens Judgments in things controverted in publick or private I shall do it or not do it conscientiously in the fear of God as my heart then inclines me though it shall be to my external disadvantage without contempt to Authority or disrespect to any Profession Nor will it much offend me as in relation to my self to be compelled to submit to things indifferent because if that be a transgression the fault is not mine but their crime who compel that to be done as necessary which is left indifferently to be done or not to be done as just occasion makes it expedient or inexpedient and when the doing or not doing of it may advance the Common Peace I prefer that before my own private conveniences or inconveniences yea before all things except the Honour of GOD only But take notice that notwithstanding this latitude of my Conscience I am sometimes in as great straits in respect of the particulars afore-mentioned as they who have the narrowest latitude and shall in some cases more willingly suffer than do that which I have a liberty to do But I will do as GOD directs me in every emergency and desire all my Readers to take heed that they make neither mine nor any other man's Conscience an absolute Patern or President whereby to regulate their actings till they be convinced by better Arguments than Presidents or Examples Follow other men as St. Paul said as they follow Christ and no further for that latitude which is vouchsafed to some is not given to all nor at all times to the same persons in the same cases but variously dispensed and at no time justifiable in any but when it is grounded upon the Law of GOD by Faith and warranted by his holy Spirit working in our hearts according to those Principles I again beseech you all in the Love of Jesus Christ of whatsoever Judgment you are to reade without prejudicacy what I have further to declare tending as I think to Universal Concord to the preventing what may disturb the peace of your private Consciences and conduce to that Repentance and Reformation whereunto I would perswade It proceeds from no Phanatick Resolution taken up for mine own advantage nor from a partial respect or disrespect to any dissenting Parties but is that which ever since I was of understanding I have judged reasonable and been so conformable unto in my practice that I neither gave just cause of offence to any nor perswaded any to be of my Judgment further than their own Consciences inclined them I much reverencing the National Church of England without despising or factiously adhering to any Congregational Assemblies and heretofore conceived that Set-Forms of Prayer as wel in publick as in private were for many respects expedient at sometimes for some persons though not alwayes necessary for all men I believed as I still do that such Prayers as were at any time dictated by the Spirit of GOD were at all times accompanied and sanctified by the same Spirit when any Congregation or person having the same occasions did with a sincere intention of the heart speak them unto GOD in the same words and that they who assented unto those words with sincerity offered up a Sacrifice pleasing unto GOD though they were but formally only read by him who officiated as the mouth of the Congregation I thought also that such Forms as are enjoyned might be helpfull to some either to bring things needfull at present to remembrance which might else have been forgotten or to assist those who had not the gift of vocal Prayer in publick or to help instruct the Ignorant in giving decent Attributes to GOD in their Devotions or to stir up their own or other mens hearrs in that Duty by preventing such Tautologies impertinent and undecent Interjections or such deficiencies in words as may be offensive to their hearers and otherwhile obstructive to themselves in the performance of that Duty I judged likewise that the Forms of Prayer publickly used in the Church of England were pious and in few particulars justly to be excepted against as offensive if not magisterially imposed as necessary for all or formally only repeated without a hearty intention yea I confess that I conceived the Let any whereat much offence is taken to be the best Patern of Prayer as in respect of the Form for a Congregation or Family next to that which was prescribed by our Saviour because consisting of many short Petitions Confessions and Deprecations to be used as occasions are offered the hearers give assent to every one of them vocally at the end thereof and are then thereby kept the more attentive and their minds more from wandering than usually they are in a long continued Prayer and for that it joyns together both the Minister and the People in their Devotions Upon these and the like considerations I had a reverend esteem of that Form and of some other Prayers notwithstanding their Objection who say the Common-Prayer-Book was taken out of the Roman Missal For though the Papists had part of it in their Lyturgie to set a flourish upon their superstitious Novelties which Trash had buried under it that little whereof good use might have been made so much as the Saints and Martyrs retained at the time of Reformation and which in effect was a Collection for the most part of what was in the Greek and Roman Churches before the Papal tyranny began was not originally Papal but by degrees mixt with such humane Inventions as would not else perhaps have been so soon and easily admitted and I knew not wherefore the Rubbish being again separated but that the wholsome words might be as well hallowed to a pious use as the Censers wherein Incense had been offered up with strange fire by Nadab and Abihu and be re-sanctified

defects and sins as I believe the Word of GOD judges of them I will proceed one step further to signifie what I apprehend thereof and of what Classts I think them to be which is plainly this Whatsoever Person Persons Congregation or Society of men or National Church or Civil Government shall be so espoused to his or their own Judgment Will Formalities in Discipline or Profession of Doctrines relating to the Worship of GOD as to arrogate Infallibility to themselves and shall thereupon endeavour by humane Policy by the temporal Sword or by any other way than by the Word Preached and by such Disciplines as are thereby warranted to inforce other men to conform to those Doctrines or Disciplines which they please to establish and profess though it be the Truth until they are convinced in Conscience that it is so Or whosoever shall Constitute a Ministry of the Gospel otherwise than is ordained in holy Scripture either by setting up such Officers as are not thereby Divinely Authorized or by casting out or silencing such as Officiate according to the Primitive practice of Christians Or whosoever shall act or combine with others to set up or destroy or uphold any Civil Authority to the Disturbance of the Common Peace under Pious and Religious Pretences otherwise than the Laws of Nature and of the Nation do allow Or having gotten Power of Compulsion shall inforce any contrary to their Consciences to comply with them therein or to submit to their Commands farther than by a Passive Obedience Or whosoever shall make their Congregational or National Sanctions which relate to GOD's Worship only to be unduly Instrumental for advance of their personal Power Estates or Preferments Temporal or Spiritual by over-awing their Brethren or otherwise than is agreeable to divine and humane Justice or to a purposed excluding of those from the like advantages meerly because they are of differing opinions from them in Religious Controversies though in Fundamentals of Divinity and Humanity in their Prudence Manners and in all other respects they are as capable of that Trust as other men All such whatsoever shew they make of Christian Piety or true Morality are in my Judgment though they carry not the Mark of the Beast in their Foreheads in a degree more or less for the time being Confederates with Antichrist and Members of that Divided Kingdom and Malignant City which must be destroyed and help destroy it self so far forth as the Temporal Sword meer humane Powers and Policies will be useful to that purpose The Work of the Saints consisting only in their Constancy Patience Love and in the exercise of such-like Spiritual Weapons especially in the sincere Love of GOD and of each other grounded on his Eternal Love to Mankind in his Son King Jesus which Love When thus much was Printed a part of the Copy was lost at the Printing-house which could not be supplied without sending privately that which was left to the Author in whose hands both this Supplement and the rest of the Copy was seized in his Chamber The Providence of GOD must be submitted unto and we doubt not but the Remainder will shortly come to our hands either from a Copy which is said to be sent into Holland or by another which is in a Friends hand that will keep it safe And perhaps when they in Authority have perused what is seized and see how innocent a Piece it is and how much it tendeth to the Glory of GOD the Honour of the King and the Settlement of the Common Peace it will be returned back to the Author that it may be made publick this is the hope of good men who have seen it unless for our many sins GOD shall justly deprive us of that means which he graciously intended to bring to the knowledge of the King and People those things which are pertinent to their joynt Consideration at this time for prevention of his further Wrath and the Judgments deserved That which is wanting amounts to about seven or eight Pages and containeth Particulars of much concernment not mentioned in the Title Among which that considerable Mystery of the Raign and Kingdom of Christ upon Earth and what is to be believed thereof is stated so far forth as Man is capable of it in this fleshly being so that none who are principled aright therein will or can with a good Conscience think that the Weapons or Militia of that Kingdom are carnal or that the Kingdoms of the Earth and Antichrist are to be destroyed by any such Instruments in the hands of the Saints which being well Considered would have been advantagious to preserve the Common Peace So Farewel FINIS