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A45770
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An important query for protestants viz. can good come out of Galilee? or, Can a popish ruler propagate the reform'd religion?
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1688
(1688)
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Wing I102; ESTC R19967
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7,729
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14
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they went on without any more licence upon Earth being stirr'd up to it from Heaven by the Prophets tho confirm'd afterwards by King Darius Queen Esther's addressing un-call'd to King Ahasuerus after solemn Fasting and Prayer was against Law. The three Children's not bowing to Nebuchadnezar's Image Daniell praying with his windows open as at other times not withstanding the decree'd prohibition All these were publick breaches and affronts to the Laws of those Kingdoms respectively and after the Saints aforementioned had broke those Laws to keep Gods Law the Kings being convinc't changed their Decrees contrary to their respective constitutions and tho they were heathen yet they owned the true God and those that serv'd Him contrary to their own Laws and Religion The Decrees of Heaven are indeed un-changeable but the Laws of Men are mutuable like themselves and those Kings or Rulers who change for the better as his interest leads them who is King of Kings they will find it their own interest also to indulge them who are his free or new born People in pursuance of what is promis'd that Strangers shall build up their Walls and their Kings Minister to them for that Nation and Kingdom which will not serve them shall perish Yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted It appears then that the interest of the consciencious People which is Liberty hath an ascendent over other Nations no less then that part of their own which would keep them in bondage whereof Israells being led by a high hand out of Egypt to do their Sacrifice to God and Spoyling the Egyptians who had detain'd them some time from it as they also destroy'd the seven Nations in and near Canaan that resisted them is a great Example Therefore is it the Kings wisdom to suspend the Execution of those Laws which in themselves are already void on God's account who being the supreame Legislator of Heaven and Earth ought as the Apostles said to be obeyed rather then Men For if a Law should be made that Men must not eat when they are hungry not drink when they are thirsty 't is not to be obeyed because against nature so if a Law be made that Men must not pray when Gods word says they should do it always and every where or if a Law be to forsake assembling together as the manner of some is which the Scripture plainly forbids such Laws are as much against the Heavenly Divine Nature as those aforementioned are against the Humane Nor is Gods Law made for the Righteous but for the Lawless and disobedient profane unholy c. And if there be a People in the Kings Dominions against whom is no Condemnation but are free from the Law of Sin and Death then surely the Kings late concession of no New Liberty but that of Conscience does import that his royal intentions are onely to free them from Mans condemnation whom he thinks God doth not condemne for if our hearts condemne us not then our confidence towards God is very alowable not withstanding all that can be said by the Men of Judea against those of Gallilee Nor is this way of promoting the Protestant Religion by a Roman Ruler more decry'd by them that disbelieve it then the Samaritan party was mistaken when they thought that Darius would not favour the Jews of old by decreeing their re-building the Temple after they had express't such confidence to begin a new to do it against the prohibition of his Predecessors Now if God ceases not to raise such unexpected Instruments to carry on his Work as are or have been mistrusted to check or obstruct it how ill will it become the Leaders or Fathers of our Reformed at least so called Church not to further and improve this late granted Liberty since 't is their place and profession to help not hinder all Male-births of righteousness and holiness whatsoever For God cau change the Heart not only of Prince but People also and 't will reflect much upon us called Protestants to retain a spirit of Persecution and aversion to Liberty when Papists themselves shall renounce the one and embrace the other And if the day be come or near it wherein 't is promised That the Egyptians shall know the Lord do Sacrifice and Oblation yea Vow a Vow unto God and perform it then we should be cautious of blasting them whom God snall bless with a new Nime and Nature for if this be the season wherein God himself says Blâ—ssed be Egypt my People 't is not for us Christians to maintain partition walls longer 'twixt us and the very Heathen themselves because they are said to be Christs Inheritance and in Every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesâ— is accepted of him how then can we prosper by rejecting such as God accepteth Hence is it therefore that this concession of Intire Liberty made by the King of Great Britain tends to his immortal Honour as he is in this manner not only a Prince of a very great People but as by this action he is become a Nursing Father to all of all sorts under him in their Religious or Christian Rights which are much more dear and near to them then what is Civil not but that their enjoyment of both is their Confidence because the Greater always comprehends the Less And if this intire Liberty had found its happy birth before the the unhappy Wars broke forth against King Charles the First 't is very improbable that their success had been as it was much more that our present King James the Second had been necessitated to raise new Arms against his Enemies and indeed the Blood which hath been spilt for more then sorty years past might have been prevented But blessed be God that better late then never we can now bid this new Pranciple and Practice welcome into the old World which will cause our Swords to be turned into Plowshares and Spears into Pruning-Hooks and will instruct us of this Nation yea the Rulers and People of other Nations as they shall receive and become subject to it to learn War no more For this intire Liberty hath made as intire and compleat a conquest which is of Hearts far exceeding that of Hands because as the King hath set us free to serve the living God without the fears of Men so do we avow our selves bound to the King in interest and duty by stronger bonds then Slavish Fear or Impos'd Oaths can oblige And our defect of duty to the King will be now no less to our selves since his Government is made thus easy for as his Throne is clothed with double Honour so that part of the people who by his gracious Indulgence are relieved from their harrasing Catch-Poles and Persecuting Informers will be doubly guilty if denying Caesar his due because we are the chief Criminals if not giving God his due since the King is pleased so freely to allow and incourage it And further if the Kings Heart be in Gods hand to turn as the rivers of Water what will they resemble who would dam or stop his Christian and Royal Progress but persons of an Earthy Principle and Practice for those inferiour ends which are not without regret to be named among us who are called Christians Nor is it for those who very sensibly feel the warmth of this late and new Protection to hesitate the Kings prevailing Perswasion of the National Assembly when called to agree to this so Vniversal a good for Mankind by freeing their better and more noble part from those Imposures with which the more degenerous sort of men have attempted to Embondage them Now in this procedure who can say less than God Prosper and Save yea Save Eternally the King of Great Britain who having almost incredibly till Royally Perform'd thus out done not only all his Home-born Predecessors but his Forreign Best and Greatest Neighbours whether they be Crowned Heads or Free-States If therefore it shall please God to inrich his Royal Heart with Grace so as to go on as he hath begun the potent interests of France and Spain must soon bow to him as he becomes more justly Aggrandiz'd with the titles of most Christian and most Catholick King not only in Europe but in the knows World. FINIS
the true End of saving Soules by allowing every one to search and try what is Truth whereas a Protestant Church or Rulers otherwise begets suspicion upon the end though true because the way is wrong or at least right in their own Eyes onely 'T is said that seven is a perfect number and though more may be added yet let these suffice at least for one sheet to evince the possibility of that to be a truth which is asserted to be improbable And further to be yet more plain The cry is Protestant liberty is granted for a while onely to umbrage the establishing the Popish much longer This is Charity of a different kind from that which thinkes no evil but bears hopes believes and indures all things yet admit this liberty should prove shorter liv'd than some that wish't it an abortive 't is asked under what Persons in power had it such an avow'd birth even thus long for some by-past thousands of years Must we not revert back to those heathen Monarchs Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes for a Precedent who decreed rebuilding the walls of City and Temple thereby promoting a Religion and Worship not their own and to which they were Strangers But further is Christ preach't out of Envy and shall they who profess doing it of good will be sorry or offended Will it hot make their mission as questionable as that Apostle's was clear who in that case profess't his rejoycing Are Embessadours true to their Prince who repine at his budding interest among a people forreign to his own Dominion can that light wherein the Everlasting Gospel of the Kingdom shall be publisht to all nations admit such darkness or it s true effect viz. love to Enemies consist with such dissimulation to very Friends who are only tolerated to Preach in corners without publick maintenance and shall they who have it without grudging and in the chief places of concourse be angry or offended at them For shame let them forgive this wrong Now if jealousy which is said to be the rage of a man should provoke a Ruler against such as cause his Good to be evil spoken of at whose door will be laid the offence And if some weak Protestants should dis-like the way of Persecuting or Imposing upon Conscience so as to question the truth of their own Religion for their sakes that propagate it by such wrong means and incline to those who do otherwise how will it be answer'd by such as lay the Stumbling-block It must be acknowledged that all our outward attempts to force Conscience though never so Erroneous are to be exploded by the very light of Nature as well as Grace not only because 't is apt to recoile against that which does not convince but also a man's Conscience is not in his power For though Flesh and Blood can never inherit God's Kingdom yet in this case it suffers with such Innocence as if it were holy because 't is not nor ought to be the Souls leader but follower and its true fault though for suffering wrongfully would be to assume the contrary And if on these Principles which are common to those of both Religions as well the Protestant as the Papist this Liberty be granted is it not a Royal Favour to be shewn without difference or distinction for Charity it self begins at home And therefore if it be extended in other matters to those of the Kings own Communion in the first place 't would seem ungrateful to regret not only because 't is below Christians to be much concern'd for more then their proper Interests viz. Of serving God without the fear of men but also that it appears a kind of imposure upon a Supream Ruler especially that strains his Anthority to make all the People under him as free as himself for any of them to be un-satisfied in wanting a share of rule in the things of Men. If Christ's Kingdom be not of this World his true Disciples should rather fear then desire to be great on Earth that thereby they lose the sence or sight of his more spiritual Realm or Dominion which is in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost The charming Priviledges of a private Life both for Soul and Body do far transcend the vain shews which may be expected to walk in by those who are ignorant of a Publick wherein a seeming Ruler over some few that bare the Head and bow the Knee is if he does his duty but a real Servant to all And if a man hath indeed a measure of that true Wisdom which is from above 't will constrain his readiness to say in like case as Daniel did to Belshazer on his offer of the scarlet Robe a Golden Chain and the third place of authority in the Kingdome Let the Kings gifts be to himself and his rewards to another But further Are not the Protestant Dissenters the Kings new friends and of no other then his own making Which being so a peck of Salt according to the proverb is but proper to season the confidence of new Acquaintance The moral or application of which in this case may be serious viz. That if the Dissenting Protestants do become as Christ's Disciples the true Salt of our English Earth to season the places where their lot is cast with such savory Principles and Practise of Self-denial Humility and Holiness as by Fearing God and Honouring the King the People may be convinc't of their Religion and Loyalty the impute of Schisme and Rebellion will gradually vanish and make way for their better acceptance Mean while if apprehensions should remain that the Romish Religion is like to be longer liv'd in England than a Protestant Toleration there is one word more then hath been mentioned tending to chek all such surmises even besides all those outward arguments already publisht of Solemn Publick Declaration a great overballance in number secular Interest c. And that is The calling to mind that the most High God rules who by means known and unknown can turn the point of good or ill upon the Deceiver or Deceived since both are his and thereby cause the living to know that he alone rules in the Kingdom of men giving it to whomsoever he will as best suits his holy ends and concerns in this lower world whether they be Recieved or Rejected by present or future Generations Yet more particularly A Kings Prerogative as second to that of Christ is very strong and as Solomon says Two are better then One and a threefold cord is not easily broken for if this work of Christian Liberty be of God which is indubitable as well as the King the consciencious People of all sorts are a third and numerous Party concern'd in its benefit who by their Faith and Prayers will make many an Effort at Heaven-gates rather then lose their New obtain'd Freedom The Captive Israelites being once set free by the Decree of Cyrus to re-build the Temple tho stop't in their Work by his Successors yet