AN ADDRESS FOR Submissive peaceable and loving living together Under the Present Government To the People of the COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND However by some called ROYALISTS PRESBYTERIANS INDEPENDENTS or FIFTH-MONARCHY MEN. By Tho. Moore Senior Hearken unto me that God may hearken unto you Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers As much as is possible have peace with all men LONDON Printed by James Cottrel 1656. To all Christian Readers Beloved Christians WHereas many of the People of this Commonwealth have testified both their thankefulness for and submission to the present Government by making their Addresses or Recognitions to his Highness the PROTECTOR in one of which Recognitions my Name also is Be not you offended That I in testmony of thankfulness to God for his Mercies in and of desire of Love among our selves and peaceable living under the present Govâ—… 〈◊〉 do make my Address to you first giving my Ground and then making my Request to you with endeavour of answering what I conceive in any of us might hinder the Acceptance For any weaknesses of mine in this attempt let Charity prevail so far to pass hy as not to be prejudiced therewith but that which the Scripture calleth for and I according to the Scripture request accept my boldness in desiring of you I being for peace I pray let none of you be for war among our selves but each endeavouring peace that we may share in that Promise Blessed are the Peace-makers and so fear God and love one another and live in peace among our selves and the God of peace be with us which is the prayer of the least and unworthiest of all God's Mercies and Servants Tho. Moore Wittlesey April 7. 1656. Rom. 13.1,2 Let every soul be subject unto the higher Powers for there is no Power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God whosoever theresore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation MAnkinde being fallen under sin and death and so liable to have the curse death by sin deserved executed on them all Rom. 6.23 5.12,18 Heb. 10.6,9 Gal. 3.13 Rom 14.9 1 Cor. 6.19,20 2 Cor. 5.14,15 Jesus Christ the Son of God interposing hath for Mankind suffered that deserved death and curse and so redeemed Mankind from the curse of the Law and by his Death Resurrection and Sacrifice offered to God hath bought all Men of God and is become their rightful Lord inlightning and extending means to them that as they are not their own but his so they might live to him that is their Saviour and Lord. And God hath given all Power and Authority to him and all over into his dispose and made him Lord of all and doth by him uphold and order all things Mat. 11.27 28.18 Act. 2.36 10.36 Col. 1.17 Heb. 1.3 Psa 75.3 so that it is indeed by him whose Sacrifice was vertuous from his first undertaking though more manifested since acted that the Earth is upheld and the Inhabitants thereof and the Governments among them therein Prov. 8.15,16 By him Kings raign and Princes decree justice by him Princes rule and Nobles all the Judges of the earth And all that God doth in ordering the Sons of Men he doth it in and through his Son Christ and according to the Covenant and Agreement between the Father and the Son in the Sons first undertaking for Mankinde Joh. 5.19,20,22,23 and so and in that manner God ruleth for ever by his Power and his Kingdom ruleth over all Psal 66.7 103.19 Dan. 4.25,35,37 Psa 57.6,7 yea even in the Kingdom of Men and gives it to whomsoever he will and none can stay his hand and say unto him What dost thou So that prâ—mâ—tion cometh neither from the East West or South but God is Judge himself he putteth down one and setteth up another So that it is evident That there is no power but of God The words also here give us to understand it of the Dominion Rule Authority and Power of Magistrates called here The higher Powers as appointed and ordered by God that is the highest Power his Son the Great King that is higher than the highest of them Eccles 5.8 Rev. 11.15,17 but doth not yet take his great Power into his own hands personally to raign with his Saints but as he hath given the earth to the children of men so he giveth the Power of governing into the hands of some men whom he calleth Mighty Ones or Gods to judge among the Sons of men for God to give account to him when Christ comes personally to judge Psa 115.16 Psa â—â— so that the Powers that in any Age or Nation are in being for Magistracy in a Commonwealth they are of God and whether for mercy or chastisement they are ordered by God in the same love and to the gracious end in which he gave Christ made him Lord. And here to understand Powers for Magistracy in a Commonwealth is evident in the Text Verses following also in the Apostles charge to Titus to teach the same Doctrine to Believers Tit. 3.1 To put them in minde to be subject to Principalities to obey Magistrates And Peter also teacheth the same putting it as one chief part of an honest Conversation 1 Pet. 2.13 14,15,17 To submit our selves to every Ordinance of man that is humane Ordinance or Creature viz. Princes Magistrates Governours which God hath made instrumentally by Men whether by Birth Election or Conquest for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent or set in Office by him c. and shewing this to be the will of God c. he joyns these two together Fear God and honour the King which term by the whole context appears to be the chief Governour and those set in Office of Government by him for as History saith The chief Governours in those dayes were called Emperours but whether Emperour King Prince Protector Judge all are included in saying King or chief Governour Principalities Powers Magistrates and that these Powers are the Governours of Commonwealths is cleer in saying The Powers that are or are in being and so the like at any time in being for as for such kinde of Powers wielded with such a Sword in spiritual and Church-Astairs though before Christ offered up the acceptable Sacrifice there was something like in the Aaronical Priesthood though even then the Kings were in the Throne above them yet now Christ is come the High Priest after the Order of Melchizedec remaining himself the High Priest for ever having in that no Successor the Priesthood being changed there is of necessity a change of that Law Heb. 7.11 Mat. 20.25 28. Luk. 22 24 27 Mat. 8 12. 2 Cor. 1.24 1 Pet. 5.2,3 Rev. 13.1,2 8. 11.1,2 And Christ hath forbidden it to all Church-Officers in forbidding his Disciples and Apostles
craving power of the Magistrates of the Commonwealths or desire of any part of their Sword to carry an end and manage their business with So it was in the beginning of the first Christian Churches in the best times so that reverend Fathers and Brethren you may perceive I do not fault but justifie rather the Order desired by you though the terms of expression of it be obscure yea I could as willingly be under the same so I might enjoy the soundness of Faith and Liberty of spiritual fellowship with Brethren of another outward Order as before to have been under the BBs with Freedom from their superstitious Injunctions and to enjoy the foresaid Liberty for the order and power of this and that is one and the same if rightly used onely called by different Titles but this is that which is faulty and occasions faultiness The desire of the Magistrates Power to impower you to establish and carry an end this Order for which you have neither Word nor Example of Christ or any his Apostles Prophets or Evangelists nor any thing like but the by-gone Law of the Aaronical Priesthood Oh my Fathers and Brethren did you so mourn for the Tyranny of this Power in the BBs hands and would you have it in yours was their lording Power over their Brethrens Faith and Conscience so evil in your eyes and will the same be good in your hands when onely the Title of Lord and some gross outward Superstitions are taken away was Liberty of Conscience for all Fearers of the Lord so good and much to be desired when that power was in their hands and is the same now a cursed Liberty and toleration for any but those that submit to have that Power in your hands and come under your Order when many tender Consciences of your godly Brethren can no more digest your Order than they could the former I hope the most of you by this time are better perswaded than to be soliciting the Governour to give Power into your hands to rule over your Brethren It 's enough we are protected and you have Liberty for going on and winning in all that by Word and good Conversation you prevail with to joyn in that Order I hope this contents you so that you will not murmur at but be thankful for the Government and press for no farther Power than the protection it so lovingly affords you as for those whose Spirits are still carried to enjoy that Power in their hands do they not hereby either justifie the Power they pretended against and so testifie it was not conscience of sinfulness in a lordly Power in Ministery of the Church nor the lordly Power they sought to pull down but the taking away those Persons and Titles and exalting themselves into the same Power or else their mindes are altered desiring to have that builded and established of which once they complained and sought to pull it down Surely such may thank God that the Governour affords them not their desires for did he they would hurt both him and themselves and others also as much as their fore-Fathers did but I hope there remains not many thus minded Therefore my request is That we may consider well the mercies God hath given us in the Government he hath set over us and what an Instrument of Mercy the Governour is made to us Surely we are eased of that which if our hearts were right was our greatest grief and complaint And there is Liberty for that desired Order as far as by Scripture Truth Teaching and holy Conversation and warrantize from God may be reached unto yea more then when we fasted and prayed we did expect in answer of our Prayer Let us not grutch our Brethren to enjoy the same mercy with our selves that prayed and have their Prayers answered with us but in thankfulness to him that answereth our Prayers praise God and thank him for our Government and pray for our Governour and live together in peace and love under his Government not biting one another lest we be consumed of one another and if we be perâ—ect and of one minde to glorifie God and live in peace the God of peace will be with us and bless our Protector and us also 2. And you beloved Fathers and Brethren whom some groundlesly call Independents I hope you have as much as your Souls desire of the Protector as Protector and in the Government in respect of your personal and social Concernments in that Liberty and protection that is afforded you seeing whatever by the Word and your holy Conversation according to the light and knowledge given you and blessing of success afforded you you have even outward Liberty to congregate and receive into your Congregations and to order for Offices and Exercise according to your Conscience and understanding of the Word and protection herein also I know you desire not worldly promotion nor any power of the Magistrate to Lord it over your Brethren that in some things dissent from you and accord not in all things in your Order in congregating and so you do readily that which my Address is for And so my Request to you is That we may in singleness of heart to God and love to one another persevere in Thankfulness and Prayers for the Instruments of our Mercy and not by discontented Thoughts suggested by any be waved but live peaceably with acknowledgement of the Mercy given us under the Government over us and that we may so do let us neither judge nor despise our Brethren fearing the Lord though in some things they dissent from us Rom. 14.1,18 walking according to the light they have received and not according to all that light we conceive our selves to have received nor murmur at or press the removal of some things that agree not with our Judgements about a publick Ministery in the Nation and the maintenance thereof You know that new Wine put in old Vessels will break the Vessel and both Wine and Vessel will be marred and every thing is beautiful in its time and some things of that Nature can yet hardly be done with Righteousness and besides as Christ is a Saviour so his followers principal aim in their agitations is saving and the sudden doing of some things of that Nature would produce raging hardening destroying rather than saving them till by degree they be brought to a fitter capacity And if we remember God's gracious order in dealing with us to bring us to that we now enjoy and wait with patience for others to win them with loving-kindness and minde God's hand who knows what is fittest for us and when and pray to our heavenly Father for blessing guidance and protecting of our Protector and his Council he that hath heard and answered us thus far will certainly so far as is good for us hear and answer us farther onely let us not undervalue but improve the opportunities already given us and so in thankfulness for walk submissively to and peaceably