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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	die_v	life_n	soul_n	23,154	5	5.3621	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75811	The Christian moderator: the second part; or, Persecution for religion condemned by the light of nature. Law of God. Evidence of our own principles. With an explanation of the Roman Catholick belief, concerning these four points: their church, worship, justification and civill government. Whereunto there are new additions since the octavo was printed.; Christian moderator. Part 2	Birchley, William, 1613-1669.	1652 (1652)	Wing A4246; ESTC R225799	36,103	34

laid on the more it flourisheth I having gotten this advantage by the late coming in of some Papists to our Religion went presently on purpose to my Recusant to put him to the question and as it were a little triumphing demanded what he thought now of his old Latine Proverb in which he had formerly seemed to place so much confidence and whither the Palm tree did not sometimes break a twigg by laying on so many weights To which he replyed with a little suddennesse and Choller That some dead or Canker-eaten Branches as they can bear no weight so they can bear no fruit even whilst united to the Stock and much lesse after their division But soon recovering himself to his usuall temper he calmly yet earnestly undertook that as there have been at least twenty Priests put to death in England since the beginning of this Parliament meerly upon the account of their Religion or function so he could name a farre greater number of persons of quality who have in this same space of time reconciled themselves to the Catholique Union When I urged him to the proof of this assertion he immediately delivered me a list of twenty Priests who during these late revolutions had been hang'd drawn and quartered either for taking orders beyond Seas or exercising them on this side the Seas and with all promised upon the allowance of a little time for recollection to furnish me with a Roll of some names who have lately declared themselves Catholiques undertaking if he was deceived in any name to recompence such Errour with the interest of two for one unlesse he might be dispensed with upon the inconveniency of discovering those who can no longer live unruined for their Religion then they are unknown to professe it The PREISTS executed in severall places since the Year 1641. were these Mr. William Ward Mr. Raynolds Mr. Roe Mr. Edward Morgan Mr. Bullaker Mr. Holland Mr. Heath Mr. Francis Bell. Mr. Ducket Mr. Corbet Mr. Morse Mr. Phillip Powell Mr. Peter Wright Executed at Tyburne Mr. Lockwood Mr. Caterick Executed at York Mr. Green Executed at Dorchester Mr. Barlow Mr. Reading Mr. Whitaker Mr. Thompson Executed at Lancaster Besides Master Tho. Vaughan after very hard usage aboard Capt. Moltons Ship soon after dyed at Cardiffe in South-Wales Mr. John Goodman Mr. Henry Myners Mr. Peter Wilsford Mr. John Hamond Mr. Colman Mr. Rivers c. Dyed Prisoners in the Common-Goale at Newgate since the year 1641. Besides divers who are now continued in prison Now I humbly thank the Lord Christ there was onely one of these Priests whom I mentioned in the first part of this Discourse put to death since this Nation was established in the present Government and I wish from my Soul that his life had also been spared since my obligations to this Common-wealth and the present Governors thereof are such that I am bound every day to offer up my sighs and prayers to the Lord that no bloud of any peaceable Christian be spilt for the only difference of judgement in Religion for certainly whosoever shall practice such cruelty will be called to a strict and rigorous account at the judgment of the great Day But proceeding to require of my Recusant the performance of his word con certain the late Converts he so much gloried in I merrily threatned him that if he observed not his promise I would presently not only suspect some secret evasion in him but cry out against all Papists as juglers and equivocaters or else I being an Heretique no Faith was to be kept with me and though the present matter be of a trivial consequence yet we know the Welshman stole Rushes to keep his hand in ure He first seriously redeemed his word by delivering me this following Catalogue and then merrily answered by jesting with wonder at my hardinesse how I durst stay in London since the last letters from Amsterdam discover so dangerous a plot intended by the Papists and Cavaliers against this Town they have these many Months held a secret intelligence with all Engineers and Mill-makers of Holland and hired them forthwith to prepare a thousand such Engins as we use to quench scare-fires and these Van Trump who has been a long time Popishly affected and a rank Cavalier ever since he was Knighted undertakes to bring up so privately to the very Bridge that in one night they may be planted all along the River and drown even Pauls it self by squirting all the water in the Thames upon the City Now if you ask a Papist whether he know of any such conspiracy he will presently cast about in his thoughts to retrive some mentall reservation and then down right deny that ever he heard any such thing But to return from this feigned Story of the Recusant to the reall History of his new Proselites amongst whom he reckon'd these following But pretended prudentiall reasons to excuse his concealment of many others 1. The Countesse of Denby 2. The Lady Kelimekin 3. The Lord Cottington 4. Thomas Vane Doctor of Divinity 5. Hugh Paulin De Cressy one of the late prebends of Wyndsor 6. Sir Marmaduke Langdale 7. Sir Francis Doddington 8. Sir Theophilus Gilby 9. Mistresse Bridget Feilding 10. Doctor Baily 11. Doctor Cosen onely Sonne 12. Dr. Goff entred into the Religious order of the Oratorians at Paris 13. Master Peter Gule of Balliol Colledge in Oxford 14. Mr. Richard Nicolls Batchelor of Divinity of Peter-house Cambridge 15. Mr. Richard Crashaw Master of Arts of Peter-house Cambridge well known for his excellent Poems 16. Master William Rowlands of Exeter Colledge in Oxford 17. Captain Thomas Cook 18. Master Edward Barker of Caius Colledge Cambridge 19. Master Temple 20. Master Osborne c. I must ingenuously confesse I knew not well what answer to make the Papist in this point but still to expresse my dislike of such persecution even of any sort of Christians And am very confident that were they treated more mercifully and invited to come to our spirituall conferences which my Recusant told me he would not at any time refuse were it onely to discourse in an amicable Christian way the points in difference between us we should gain more of them to us or at least hinder the growth of their Religion more then any tortures of body or Sequestrations of their Estates are like to do Nor is it reasonable to exact from such as dissent from us any other kind of presence at our exercises then to propose their difficulties in a modest and peaceable way and pariently to hear our answers without expecting they should presently joyn with the Congregation for that were to oblige them to professe before they are satisfied and practice before they know what it is they do Whereas the Scripture commands us first to try all things and then hold fast that which is best Some who have not onely the form but the power of Godlinesse in this Nation have of late in order to the advancement of Christs Kingdome

against their consciences and I am sure is against our Laws And truly as often as I reflect upon the strange severity of that Oath my soul goes forth in pitty towards them that are concern'd in it since even their thoughts are not free but an absolute force laid upon the most inward cogitations of their hearts and themselves compelled to condemn themselves by accusations wrested out of their own mouthes Upon the ceasing of the former Committees authority these 7. which now sit Judges of Delinquency and sequestrations were impowered about 25. Jan. 1649 since which time they their subcommissioners in the several Counties have made many discoveries both of delinquents and Papists estates either not before sequestred or not compounded for at the full value but I observed that they who were sequestred or had their rents or goods unduly taken from them in the time of the former Committees for Sequestrations how unjustly soever could not be relieved by these Commissioners nor any other power but by the Parliament it self It was the Case of Mr. Robert Knightley a Recusant only a great part of whose Mansion house in Essex was puld down to repair the Fort at Tilbury for which he petitioned at Haberdash●rs hall in Decemb. 1651 to have satisfaction out of the 2 sequestred parts of his own lands there But in regard it appeared to be done before Ian. 1649 the present Commissioners answer was they had no power to relieve him And in all other Cases upon Appeals where it appears that rents have been unduly received to the States use for 7 or 8 years last past in wrong to the true owner of the lands These Commissioners in such case make restitution onely from Jan. 1649 And for money goods or personall estate unduely seized or sequestred before that time they make no restitution at all This seemed strange to me for by the same rule if the present Commissioners should sequester half the lands and goods in England right or wrong and then be displaced and new Commissioners established who have no power to review and consider the acts of their predecessors in time we may all come to be sequestred and yet be without appeal except to the Parliament who have too many publique obligations to spend their thoughts in particular businesses On the 11th of Feb. 1651 there was heard the case of one Mr. Parker the Lord Morleys only son about 14 years of age he petitioned for maintenance out of his fathers sequestred estate but because it was suspected the childe might encline to his fathers Religion who is a Papist it was denyed him unlesse he might be taken both from Father and Mother and committed to the government of a meer stranger which was ordered accordingly and the poor pittance of 100 l. per ann. only allowed him out of his own and fathers estate In Feb. 1651. Mr. James Hanham of the West Petitions the Commissioners at Haberdashers Hall to this effect that he had never acted any thing against the Parliament yet two parts of his estate were sequestered with such rigor for his Recusancy that he could not possibly subsist with necessaries by the remaining thirds when Taxes and other charges were deducted That he was therefore constrained to borrow 50 l. upon Bond and having disbursed 15 l. of the money it seems the Sequestrators got notice that the Petitioner had somewhat in his house worth a new Sequestration or review as they call it thereupon they search his trunks finding the remaining 35 l. pull out the guilty bag and two parts of it they sequester into their own pockets to the use of the Common-wealth and for relief therein Mr. Hanham appealed but found no redress at present more then Order for the sub-Commissioners in the Countrey to examine the businesse and certifie c. At the return of whose Certificate I leave the Petitioner to expect his doom On the 31 of March 1652. the Petition of one Hamond or Ammot was read to this effect That the Petitioner did never bear Arms nor assist the Enemies of the Parliament yet his estate had lyen under sequestration ever since the year 1645. and not one penny allowed him for his maintenance That the Petitioner being a Recusant did in the time of the late war continue at his own house as long as he could without apparent danger of his life but considering how obnoxious even the most peaceable of his religion were to be affronted and ruined by the daily mischiefs they received from some disorderly Souldiers and especially seeing one of his neighbours a Recusant slain at his own door the Petitioner did then and not before fly for protection to a Garison of the late Kings without acting any thing in the least kind against the Parliament And therefore humbly prayed he might have a fifth of his estate and the arrears allowed him to buy bread But it not appearing to the Commissioners that he had wife or children their answer was they had not power to grant him any relief Nor do I believe this mans Case to be singular for I am well satisfied that a great part of those Papists who are sequestred as absolute Delinquents were never in actuall arms against the Parliament but onely fled to the Enemies Garisons for shelter yet no qualification or difference in punishment is hitherto allowed them which would be to my understanding very just and reasonable since who ever did observe the fury and rage of most of our Common Souldiers at the beginning of the late troubles against many of that party will easily conclude the Papists had reason to distrust their own personall security amongst them And for instance I remember an Officer of my acquaintance under the Earl of Manchester told me that at their taking of Lincola from the Cavaliers in the year 1644. he was an eye witnesse of this Tragedy The next day after the Town was taken some of our common Souldiers in cold blood meeting with Mr. Price of Washingley in Huntington shire a Papist asked him Art thou Price the Papist I am said he Price the Roman Catholick whereupon one of them immediately shot him dead In the same moneth of March there happened at this Hall a very hard case which was of a maid servant whose name I do not remember but her Petition was to this effect That her Father and mother both died when she was but sixteen years of age and being very poor they left the Petitioner only some old clothes and a little houshold-stuff in all not worth above five or six pounds after whose death the Petitioner being an Orphan betook her self to service and having served seventeen years for the annuall wages of seven nobles the Petitioner had by her frugality increased her small patrimony to twenty pounds which being placed in the hands of A. B and of late discovered to be the Petitioners money and the Petitioner a Recusant she pray'd that they would take the sad and disconsolate condition of a

had unto them whatsoever quality or condition they were of all were forced not onely to obey you but which is the greatest tyranny over mens Consciences they were made to swear that they thought as ye would have them albeit to your own knowledge many thought the contrary c. The whole Answer which bears dare 20 Jan. 1651. is worth the reading and is Printed in the Diurnall Numb. 118. I pray Christ a great part of the same arguments may not be turned against us for enforcing this Oath of Abjuration so positively against mens Consciences And since we all say that we abhor to violence and force any ones Conscience farther then to secure the publick peace and that only as necessity shall really appear and not upon any Voluntary or Counterfeit pretence I cannot see how the taking of this Oath avails to make a man either a better Neighbour or a better Subject I cannot see that the Parliament confides any more in those whom they have frighted to take it nor any places of trust committed to them in reward of their conformity and indeed there is lesse reason in my opinion to rely upon such as are involuntarily drawn to an outward complyance then even those that stand out their Sequestrations as being more exasperated against us by our severe proceedings since there can be no greater cause of resentment and hatred then the remembrance to have been compelled by us publiquely to swear against their Consciences unlesse their Judgements be really changed and then all penalties to enforce them are superfluous which leads me the direct way to this clear conclusion that such Oathes are alwayes either absolutely pernicious or altogether unnecessary if against the inward Judgement damnable if according to it uselesse Since then the receiving such an Oath against the Conscience is the highest degree of perjury and spirituall murther of the soul let us sadly consider how disadvantagious to the work of the Lord and scandalous to the eyes of men it wil be for us to fill up our Congregations with such unsanctified Members The ingenious Author of Mer. Poli●i●us Numb. 99. page 1554. hath an admirable Discourse upon this Subject If we seriously reflect sayes he upon the designe of God in bringing Christ into the world we shall find it was to set an end to that pompous administration of the Jewish form that as his Church and people were formerly confined within the Narrow Pale of a particular Nation so now the Pale should be broken down and all Nations taken into the Church Not all Nations in a lump nor any whole Nations or Nationall Bodies to be formed into Churches For his Church or people now under the Gospel are not to be a body Politicall but Spirituall and Mysticall not a promiscuous confusion of persons taken in at adventure but an orderly collection a picking and choosing of such as are called and Sanctified c. Not a company of men forced in by commands and constitutions of worldly power and prudence but of such as are brought in by the power and efficacy of Christs Word and Spirit For he himself hath said My Kingdome is not from hence My Kingdome is not of this World c. And therefore that hand which hath hitherto presumed in most Nations to erect a power called Eccclesiastick in equipage to the Civill to bear sway and bind mens Consciences to certain Notions ordained for Orthodox upon civill penalties under colour of prudence good order discipline preventing of heresie and advancing of Christs Kingdome and to this end hath twisted the spirituall power as they call it with the worldly and secular Interest of State this I say hath been the very right hand of Antichrist opposing Christ in his way whose Kingdome being not of this world depends not upon the helps and devises of worldly wisdom Thus that excellent Pen And a quick-sighted judicious member of Parliament in my hearing being made acquainted as with a supposed gratefull news that some indifferent Christians who professe amongst their old acquaintance no reall satisfaction of Conscience but onely a designe to save their Estates had taken the Oath of Abjuration and conformed said Truly our purchase therein is very little and the Papists losse much lesse In confirmation of this assertion I may here cite the case of Mr. Anthony Roan who was executed at Vsk in Monmouth sheire on the 4th of April 1650 for poisoning his Wife This Gent the very hour be●ore his execution made a publique confession to this purpose That he had been bred a Roman Catholick from his infancy and continued in that Religion till some two or three years before his death when being overcome by an unhappy necessity of preserving his family from beggery he forsook the Belief of his own Soul and went to Church to save his Estate after which the Devil taking advantage upon him in this disturbance and anxiety of Spirit he confessed that he had faln into many great Sins but denyed the guilt of that horrid crime of poisoning his wife for which he was condemned to die delivering further with a kind of confidence that if he had had the grace to have continued constant in his Religion he believed he had never so highly transgressed the Commandments of his God nor come to so unhappy an end And openly declared with much seeming repentance that he dyed in his old Religion Certainly this is a sad consequence of wresting the inward perswasion of poor Souls from that Belief which their own Conscience tells them is truth thereby making them lesse carefull of their salvation and their honesty and credit of lesse repute even with those who force them to this change For the heart of man is so frail and deceitful that it seldom is drawn by violence from those principles which it has long been used to esteem and practise but becomes slack and negligent in what concerns the other World and by degrees very often wholly insensible of any thing but sensuality UPon the news not long since of some Papists taking the Oath of Abjuration and frequenting the publique places of meeting I conceived my self sufficiently furnisht to answer a certain old saying which a Recusant of my acquaintance used often to repeat in my hearing that SANGUIS MARTYRUM EST SEMEN ECCLESIAE This upon all occasions he applyed the sufferings of Papists both here in England and ten thousand miles off in Japan in which two Islands have of late been sharper persecutions said he for matter of Religion then in any other place of the world This he continually insisted upon as a Soveraign remedy for all his sorrows nor could we ever beat him from his last hold wherein he fortified himself SANGUIS MARTYRUM c. nay more he sometimes ventured to affirm with strange assurance this assertion that this Church encreased and prospered still even whilst it was actually under the greatest pressures that his Church was as the Palme tree the heavier weights are