Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A79711
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The confession of the Church of Scotland concerning the originall of political authority compendiously paraphrazed. Also a letter from an intelligent person, communicating the present affaires of Scotland, March, 14. 1647.
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Church of Scotland.
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1647
(1647)
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Wing C4202CA; ESTC R229548
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3,389
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8
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THE CONFESSION OF THE CHVRCH OF SCOTLAND Concerning the Originall of Political Authority compendiously paraphrazed Also a Letter from an Intelligent Person Communicating the present affaires of Scotland March 14. 1647. Printed in the Yeere 1647. The Confession of the Church of SCOTLAND VVE confesse and acknowledge Empires kinâ—domes Dominions and Cities to be distincted and ordained by God the Powers and Authorities in the same be it of Emperours in their Empires Kings in their Realms Dukes and Princes in their Dominions and of other Magistrates in their Cities to be Gods holy ordinance ordained for manifestation of his owne Glory and for the singular profit and commodity of mankind so that whosoever goeth about to take away or confound the whole state of Civill policies now long established wee affirme the same men not onely to be Enemies to mankinde but also wickedly fight against Gods expressed will Of the Originall of Politicall Authority GOD is the universall Monarch of the whole world and in the severall Kingdomes and dominions therof he constituteth Kings and princes next under him and in his stead to rule and governe the people hence God is called the King of Kings and they are called Gods Lievtenants and Vice-roys As the King of England is the Monarch or governour of the Kingdome of England and constitutes oâ—her subordinate Governours under him throughout all the whole Kingdome somtimes by name as in the government of the Counties and somtimes by the election of the people as in Cities and Corporations where the Inhabitants chuse the chiefe Magistrate by his Majesties Indulgence and Charter or rather the King himselfe constituteth the Magistrate there by the people authorized by his Graunt to make such election and hence the Magistrate so elected is called Minister Regis the Kings Minister and the Kings Lievtenant representing his Person and governing there in his steade and by his Authority and Power And that God gives power to Kings and Princes is plaine from Dan. 2.37 The God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdome power and strength and glory And that God also constituteth Kings and Princes is proved from Dan. 2.21 He removeth Kings and setteth up Kings and from Dan. 4.17.25.32 He ruleth in the Kingdome of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will Likewise St. Paul tells us that the Higher Powers are ordained by God Rom. 13. And whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Oâ—dinance of God v. 2. And that the people cannot of them selves impower or constitute the supreame Magistrate is proved thus the Magistrate is over mens persons and estates and extends unto fines imprisonment and death it selfe and hence is it called the power of the sword Rom. 13.4 now the people are under the commandements Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale and they cannot give order to any to take away anothers life and estate without guilt of murder and theft onely God who is above the Law the Lord possessor of Heaven and Earth and the Lord of life and death can give this authority and power and he giveth it to the Magistrate for the administration of justice onely for he hath said vengeance is mine and I will repay Deut. 32.35 And he makes the Magistrate his Minister a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill Rom. 13.4 Wherefore wee must needes be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake v. 5. A Letter from Scotland c. Sir YOurs of the seventh instant I received whereby any man may easily perceive your great and sad perplexities in regard of the present distractions which trouble you the more because you seeme to be destitute of advice which way to turne should a new war as is justly feared break forth Sir though otherwise conscious of my owne wants I cannot dictate to you any certaine Rules of direction yet my present thoughts of the state of things heere shall not be wanting to you For mine own others satisfaction my stay in these parts hath been somewhat curiously imployed to search out mysteries and all that can be discovered yet is that 't is evident the Grandees who sit at sterne have fixed their resolution to engage your Independent Party in a new warre in prosecution whereof their whole endeavour now is to purge out or quell at least the same side in both Houses heere which once effected the next designe seemes to be some attempt upon the Army with you to try whether by jealousies and discontents they can make a Division and so bring it to a confusion or else by free-quarter impositions or other oppressing meanes to provoke the long enslaved people to cast off their yoke and once more stand up for liberty For this purpose upon specious pretences they seeme to comply with Malignants till they can get strength enough to settle their Presbyteriall government in its full careere and tyranny but what ever the colour is be assured there is nothing lesse intended then to take in the Kings party for feare lest once engaged they should be able to curbe the Presbytery Nor are encouragements wanting for bringing about their ends as long as that Party doth stil prevaile at Westminster or there be hearts or money ready in the City to invite them in To which you may adde the design of those that have obtained leave as we heare to retire into their several Counties especially the Northern wher they sleep not supinely but upoÌ„ every occasion animate the people in all possible arguments now if ever to regaine their freedome by lending assistance to their dear and deeply engag'd B ethren to which no small advantage the Northern Presbyters afford them especially about York where at this day upon all sorts of people as the report goes the Covenant is ingag'd and all manner of motives used for a brotherly assistance if they hope to be free'd from an Independent slâ—very and which is worse an inundation of all manner of Sects and Heresies Wee are told likwise the two Houses of late have beene very solicitous to disband those York shire Regiments which were any whit inclined to Presbytery whereby the disconâ—ented Souldery whose Religion is their money being unsatisfied for arreares are ready upon the least opportunity to engage against the Parliament and in all likelyhood are very active to draw in their fellow-Souldiers to their Party that so both in due time may be fully revenged upon those ingratefull Mâ—sters In my opinion it had been more wisedome in our Grandees by sending downe some well gifted Emissaries who in all popular Auditories might have possessed the Pulpits and refuted those rigid Presbyteâ—ian Tenents so to have reclaimed the Northerne people from this dangerous recidivation rather then so inconsiderately to have casheered part of their Army and so put them into a condition to doe themselves a mischiefe when time serves Most certaine it is some Parliament men of those parts who dayly vote at Westminster against the Presbyterian Party have notwithstanding their Agents heere at Edenborough transacting their designes with the Scots and to my knowledge H. D. H. C. and R. D. have given assurance to desert the Houses so soone as they receive certaine intelligence of the Scots advance upon English ground by these particulars you may easily conjecture wherein our Sampsons strength lyes That the Scots will not engage the Kings Party in this their designe is more then probable not onely because they have refused the Marquesse of Montrosse his imployment in their Army but also because they are still pressing that Party to take the Nationall Covenant or forthwith to depart the Kingdome I can assure you in Spaine under the Inquisition or at Constantinople under the great Turke you may enjoy liberty of conscience sooner then now in Scotland under the Presbytery for from all sorts of men an absolute necessary and unlimited obedience is required the conformity of the outward man being not sat isfactory without the approbation of Will and Judgement you must be constrained to take all sorts of Oathes that are imposed without disputing the lawfullnesse of them Therefore in my opinion you had better forbeare comming hither as yet if you desire freedome and the enjoyment of a good conscience which you have hitherto so carefully preserved for in that respect it is much more safe to live at Rome or Constantinople for exercise of the Reformed Religion then it is in Scotland under the tyranny of the Scots Presbytery which in England is yet but an Embrio or at most but an Infant of few dayes old in comparison of the full strength it hath attained to heere ruling in a most rigid and imperious way judging all being judged of none and since from the Assembly no appeale lyes either to King or Parliament you cannot beleeve how insolent every Minister is growne presuming to Lord it over us so that if not of their opinion though otherwise never so unblameable in life presently you shall be defamed openly in the Pulpit by name and debarred from the comfortable communion of Christs body and blood Reade but their last Dâ—claration of March the first and you may soone judge of what spirit those men are For other affaires I can give you no satisfactory account the Parliament as yet having done little or nothing in the maine businesse save onely the puâ—ging of their House and setting the due elections of their Members as also appoynting a Committee to draw up a Declaration for justifying their Commissioners carriage in England and to prepare an answer to the late Declaration of the Parliament at Westminster and touching the proceedings of the Army Thus Sir having given you a true representation of the state of things heere I shall leave you to the Conduct of your owne prudence and God Almighties providence for the future steering of your course and remaine ever Edenborough 14. March 1647. Sir Your most affectionate and faithfull Servant FINIS