THE LOYALL CONVERT VIRO Improbus haec tam culta novalia miles habebit Barbarus has segetes HOM. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} OXFORD Printed by Henry Hall 1644. To the Honest-hearted READER READER IHere protest before the Searcher of all hearts that I have no End either of Faction or Relation in this ensuing Treatise I am no Papist no Sectarie but a true Lover of Reformation Peace My Pen declines all bitternesse of Spirit all deceitfulnesse of heart and I may safely in this particular with saint PAVL say I speake the truth in Christ and lye not my Conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost that I neither walke nor write in craftinesse nor handle the holy Scriptures deceitfully Therefore if thy Cause be Iesus Christ in the name of Iesus Christ I adjure thee to lay aside all wilfull ignorance all prejudice all private respects and Interests and all uncharitable censures Deale faithfully with thy Soul and suffer wholesome admonitions Search the severall Scriptures herein contained and where they open a Gate climbe not thou over a Stile Consult with Reason herein exerciz'd and where it finds a mouth find thou an eare And let Truth prosper though thou perish and let God be glorified although in thy Confusion THE LOYALL CONVERT THe kingdome of England that hath for many Ages continued the happiest Nation on the habitable earth enjoying the highest blessings that heaven can give or earth receive the fruition of the Gospell which setled a firme Peace which Peace occasion'd a full Plentie under the gracious Government of wise and famous Princes over a thriving and well-contented People insomuch that shee became the Earths Paradise and the Worlds Wonder is now the Nurcerie of all Sects her Peace is violated her Plentie wasting her Government distempered her People discontented and unnaturally embroyl'd in her owne Blood not knowing the way nor affecting the meanes of Peace insomuch that shee is now become the By-word of the Earth and the scorne of Nations The Cause and ground of these our Nationall Combustions are these our nationall Transgressions which unnaturally sprung from the neglect of that Truth we once had and from the abuse of that Peace we now want Which taking occasion of some differences betwixt His Majestie and his two Houses of Parliament hath divided our Kingdome within it selfe which had so divided it selfe from that God who blest it with so firme a Truth so setled a Peace and so sweet an Unitie At that sinne brought this division so this division sharpned with mutuall Jealousies brought in the Sword When the Lyon râ—â—res who trembles not And when Judgement 〈◊〉 who is not troubled Among the rest I who brought some Faggors to this Combustion stood astonisht and amazed to whom the mischiefe was farre more manifest then the Remedy At last I laid my hand upon my heart and concluded It was the hand of God Where being plundered in my understanding I began to make a scrutinie where the first Breach was made that let in all these Miseries I found the whole Kingdome now contructed into a Parliament which consisted of three Estates A King a House of Peeres and a House of Commons by the Wisdome and Unitie whereof all things conducible to the Weale-publique were to be advised upon presented and established I found this Unitie dis-joynted and growne to variance even to Blood The King and his Adherents on the one party and his two Houses and their Adherents on the other The presence of this division was the true Protestant Religion which both protested to maintaine the Libertie of the Subject which both protested to preserve the priviledges of Parliament which both promise to protect Yet neverthelesse the first never more profaned the second never more interrupted the third never more violated Standing amazed at this Riddle I turned mine eyes upon his Majesty and there I viewed the Lords Annointed sworne to maintaine the established Lawes of this Kingdome I turned mine eyes upon the two Houses and in them I beheld the Interest of my Countrey sworne to obey his Majestie as their supreme Governour I heard a Romanstranoe cryed from the two Houses I read it I approved it I inclined unto it A Declaration from his Majesty I read it I applauded it I adhered to the justnesse of it The Parliaments Answer I turned to the Parliament His Majesties Reply I returned to his Majestie Thus tost and turned as a Weathercâ—â—k to my own weaknesse I resolved it impossible to serve two Masters I fled to Reason Reason could not satisfie me I fled to Policies Policie could not resolve me at length finding no Councellour but that which first I should have sought I hyed me to the Book of God as the Great Oracle and ushering my Inquest with Prayor Humiliation I opened the sacred leaves which not by chance presented to my first eye the 20 of the Proverbs v. 2. The fear of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon who so provoketh him to Anger sinneth against his own soule Now I began to search and found as many places to that purpose as would swell this Sheet into a Volume so that in a very short space I was so furnished with such strict Precopts backt with such strong Examples that my Judgement was enlightned and my wavering Conscience so throughly convinced that by the Grace of that Power which directed me neither feare nor any By-respects shall ever hereafter remove me unlesse some cleaner light direct me But above all the Rest a Precept and an Example out of the Old Testament strongly confirmed by a Precept and an Example out of the New setled my opinion and established my Resolution The first Precept out of the Old Jeremy 27. v. 6. Where it pleased God to owne Nebuchadnezzar his servant although a a known Pagan a profest Idolater and a fierce Porsecuter of all Gods Children concerning whom he saith v. 8. They that serve not the King of Babylon and that will not put their necks under his Yoak I will punish them with the Sword Pamine and the Pestilence till I have consumed them v. 9. Therefore hearken not to your Diviners and Prophets that say unto you You shall not serve the King of Babylon for they prophosio a lye unto you v. 10. But the nations that shall serve the King of Babylon and bring their necks under his Yoak those will I let remain in their own land saith the Lord and they shall till it and dwell therein Can there be a stricter Precept or could there be a more impious Prince And yet this Precept and yet this Prince must be obeyed nay sub paena too Upon the paine of Gods high wrath fully exprest in Famine Sword and Pestilence not onely upon the People but upon the Priests also that shall perswade them unto disobedience The second Precept is enjoyned us out of the New Testament Rom. 13. 1. Let every soule be subject to the
concerning the difficulties of the Kingdome Here is all the power the Writ gives them and where they exceed they usurp the Kings power being both against the Law of God and the constitutions of the Kingdome Well but in case of necessitie when Religion and Libertie lye at the stake the Constitutions of the Kingdome for the preservation of the Kingdome may suffer a Dispensation Admit that But what necessitie may dispense with the violation of the Law of God the deviation where from is evil and Thou shalt doe no evill that good may come thereon But we take not Armes against the King but only to bring Delinquents to condigne punishment And who are they even those that take up Armes for the King which an unrepealed Statute 11. Hen. 7. acquits But admit Statutes may be broken and you seeke to punish them Who gave you the power so to doe The Law And what Law denyes the King power to pardon Delinquents God that hath put power into the hand of Majestie hath likewise planted mercie in the heart of Soveraigntie And will ye take away both his birth-right and his Blessing also Take heed you doe not slight that which one day may prove your Sanctuarie But the King being a Mâ—â—r Monarch is bound to his owne Lawes There be two sorts of Lawes directive and coercive As to the first he is onely bound to make his accompt to God so to the second he is onely lyable to the hand of God who shall say unto him what dost thou But Kings now adayes have not so absolute a power as the Kings mentioned in the Scripture Who limited it God or man Man could not limit the Power he never gave if God shew me where till then this objection is frivolous But when Kings and their assistance make an offensive and a destructive warre against their Parliament may they not then take up defensive Armes It is no offensive Warre for a King to endeavour the Recoverie of his surrepted right however are not the Members of a Parliament Subjects to their Soveraigne If not who are they If Subjects ought they not to be subject Gods people the Jewes that were to be destroyed by the Kings Command neither did not durst make a defensive Warre against his abused power untill they first obtained the Kings Consent But admit it lawfull though neither granted nor warranted that subjects may upon such tearmes make a defensive Warre does it not quite crosse the nature of a defensive Warre to Assayle pursue and dis-possesse When you shot five peeces of Ordnance before one was returned at Edge-hill was that defensive When you besieged Redding which you after slighted was that defensive When you affronted Basing-house was that defensive The warrantable weapons against an angry King are Exhortation Disswasion wise reprenfe by such as are nearest to him Petition Prayer and Flight All other weapons will at last wound them that use them The second Example was left us out of the New Testament by Him that is the true president of all holy obedience our blessed Saviour whose humilitie and sufferance was set before us as a Copie for all generations to practise by The temporall kingdome of the Jewes successively usurpt by those two heathen Princes Augustus Tiberius two Contemporaries was his natural Birth-right descended from his Type and Auncestor King David Had not he as great an Interest in that Crown as we have in this Common-wealth Was not He as tender-eyed towards his own naturall people as we to one another Was not the Truth as deare to Him who was the verie Truth and the way to it as direct to Him that was the only Way as to us Was not He the great Reformer Had the Sword been a necessary stickler in Reformation how happened it that he mistook his weapon so In stead of a trumpet he lifted up his Voice Were Plots Policies Propositions Prophanations Plunderings Militatie Proparations his way to Reformation Were they not his owne words He that taketh up the Sword shall perish by the Sword Nor was it want of strength that he reformed not in a Martiall way Could not he command more then twelve legions of Angels Or had he pleased to use the Arme of flesh could not he that raysed the dead rayse a considerable Army Sure S. John the Baptist would have ventured his head upon a fairer Quarrell and S. Peter drawn his sword to a bloodier end No question but S. Paul the twelve Apostles and Disciples would have proved as tough Colonels as your associated Essex Priests did Captaines and doubtlesse S. Peter who converted 3000 in one day would have raysed a strong Army in six Our blessed Saviour well knew that Caesar came not thither without divine permission In respect whereof He became obedient to the very shadow of a King and whom he actively resisted not he passively obeyed I but there was a necessity of his obedience subjection to make him capable of a shamefull death No his obedience as well as death was voluntarie which makes you guiltie of a shamefull argument But He was a single person We a representative body what is unexpedient in the one is lawfull in the other Worse and worse If our blessed Saviour be not Representative Tell me where of art thou a Member woe be to that Body politick which endeavours not to be conformed according to the Head Mysticall He preacht Peace Your Martiall Ministers by what authoritie they best know proclaime Warre He Obedience They Sedition He Truth They Lyes He Order They Confusion He Blessednesse to the Peace-makers They courage to the Persecutors He Blessednesse to the persecuted They brand them with Malignitie that call them blessed God was not heard in the whirlewind but in the still voice But his thoughts are not as our thoughts neither are our wayes like his wayes But whence proceeds all this even from a viperous Generation which hath long nested in this unhappie Island and those encreased multitudes of simple soules seduced by their sceming sanctitie who taking advantage of our late too great abuse of Ceremonies are turn'd desperate enemies to all Order and Discipline being out of charity with the very Lords Prayer because it comes within the Popish Liturgie How many of these have lately chalenged the name of sanctified Vessels for containing the poyson of unnaturall Sedition How many of these have usurpt the stile of well-affected for dis-affecting Peace How many of these have counterfeited the honour of good Patriots for largely contributing towards the Ruines of their Country How many does this Army consist of How for their sakes is Blasphemy connived at Sacriledge permitted How for their encouragement are Lyes and brasse-brow'd Impudencies invented nay publisht nay published in their very Pulpits and tolerated if not commanded even by them who peâ—chance were this quarrell ended would throw the first stone at them How many of
higher Powers for there is no power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God whosoever therefore râ—sisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation This Power this King to whom S. Paul commandeth this subjection was Nero the bloody persecutor of all that honoured the blessed Name of Jesus Christ Gods Command should be a sufficient Argument {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is enough But when he adds a Reason too he answers all Objections But when he threatens a punishment no lesse then damnation upon the resistance thereof he hath used all means to perswade a necessitie of obedience Let every soule be subject Not equall much lesse superiour And what is taking up of Armes but an implyed supposition of at least equalitie What are the hopes of conquest but an Ambition of Superioritie What is condemning judging or deposing but Supremacie For it is against the nature of an Inferiour to condemne judge or depose a Superiour And lest the Rebellious should confine his obedience to a good Prince the next words reply For there is no Power but of God Power in it selfe is neither good nor evill but as it is in subjecto the person If an evill King an evill Power if a good King a good Power God sends the one in Mercy and we must be subject the other in Judgement and we must be subject in things lawfull actively in things unlawfull passively If a good King he must have our praise and our plyance If an evill King he must have our Prayers and our Patience He that resisteth the Power whether good or evill for all power is of God resists an Ordinance of God Ordinances of men are not resisted without ruine and whosoever resisteth shall receive but what {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} damnation to themselves Now compare this place with thâ—t 1. Cor. 11. 29. He that shall eat this Bread drink this cup of the Lord unworthily eateth and drinketh What {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} damnation to himself If then there be proportion betwixt the Sin and the Punishment you may hereby gather the heynousnesse of disobedience the punishment whereof is the very same with his that is guilty of the Body blood of our Lord to the one for not discerning the Lords Body to the other for not discerning the Lords Annoynted The Lords Annoynted And who is he None but the regenerate Christ is not Christ to any to whom Jesus is not Jesus Gods Word answers your silly Objection not I was not Saul Gods Annoynted Was not Cyrus Gods Annoynted and many more whom God acknowledges so yet wicked Kings Cyrus is mine Annointed yet he hath not known me The first example for our Obedience the Old Testament proposeth to our imitation Dan. 3. 16. Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon sets up a golden Image Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were commanded to fall down worship it The King a knowne Pagan commands grosse Idolatry did these men conspire Or being Rulers of the Province of Babel did they invite the Jewes into a Rebellion did these to strengthen their own Faction blast their Soveraignes Name with Tyranny and Faganisme Did they endeavour by Scandals and impious Aspersions to render him odious to his people Did they encourage their Provinces to take up Arms for the defence of their Liberties or Religion Did they seize upon or stop his Revenues or annihilate his Power did they estrange themselves from his Presence Murther his Messengers Or would they have slighted his gracious Offers No being called by their Prince they came being commanded to give actuall obedience to his unlawfull commands observe the modestie of their first answer We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter and being urged maâ—ke their pious Resolution in the second Be it knowne O King we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set up The King threatens the Fornace they yeeld their bodies to the Fornane say God whom we serve wil deliver us out of thy hands and not he will deliver Thee into our hands They expect deliverance rather in their passive Obedience then in their actuall resistance But they were few in number and their Forces not considerable Admit that which all Histories deny Was not God as able to subdue Him with so few as to deliver them from so many Had their weaknesse lesse Reason for the Cause of Gods apparent dishonour to expect a miraculous assistance in those daies of frequent miracles then we after so long a cessation of Miacles Gods glory will not be vindicated by unlawfull means or unwarrantable proceedings I but we take up Armes not against the King but against his evill Counsellours Adherents ye meane A rare distinction And tell me whose power have his Adherents The Kings By which appeares ye take up Armes against the Kings power He that resisteth the power it is not said the Prince shall receive damation Againe Where the word of a King is there is power God joyned the King and his power and who dare separate them They that take up Armes against the Parliaments power you say take up Armes against the Parliament doe not they then that take up Armes against the Kings power by the same reason take up Armes against the King Now look back upon your intricate distinction and blush But if the King betray the Trust reposed in him by his Subjects they may suspend their obedience and resist him Kings are Gods Vicegerents cannot be compelled to give an accompt to any but to God Against thee against thee only have I sinned That is to thee to thee only must I give an accompt Though I have sinned against â—riah by my Act and against my people by my Example yet against Thee have I only sinned You cannot deprive or limit them in what you never gave them God gave them their Power and who are thou that darest resist it By me Kings Raigne But his Crown was set upon his Head by his Subjects upon such and such conditions Why was the penaltie upon the faile not expressed them Coronation is but a humane Ceremonie And was he not Proclaimed before he was crowned Proclaimed But what A King And did not you at the same instant by relative consequence proclaime your selves Subjects And shall Subjects condition with their King or will Kings bind themselves to their Subjects upon the sorfeiture of their power after they have received their Regall Authoritie But the King hath by Writ given his power to his Parliament and therefore what they doe they doe by vertue of his Power The King by his Writ gives not away his power but communicates it By the vertue of which Writ they are called ad tractandum consulendum de arduis Regni to treat and advise