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A97113 A vvord more to Mr. Thomas Edwards minister, by William VValwyn marchant. Concerning the nationall covenant. Walwyn, William, 1600-1681. 1646 (1646) Wing W696; Thomason E328_20; ESTC R200680 4,675 9

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A VVORD MORE TO Mr. THOMAS EDWARDS Minister By William VValwyn Marchant Concerning the Nationall Covenant Judge not according to appearance but judge righteous judgement LONDON Printed according to order by Thomas Paine 164● Sir VNtill I perceive the contrary I cannot but hope that I have prevailed something with you towards a change of your mind and that you have begun to repent you of the evill you have done by publishing your book entituled the Gangreen and doe wish my whisper had come so timely to your eare as to have prevented the second edition but repentance is never too late and I earnestly desire it may be hearty in you for furtherance whereof having in my last forgotten to declare my judgement concerning the Nationall Covenant wherein either you are entangled or whereby you entangle others forcing such an interpretation thereupon as to bind all that have taken the same to endeavour the establishment of a compulsive Presbyterian Government directly contrary to the whole scope of the new Testament To remove this error if you be consciencious therein or to prevent the evil intended and to undeceive those that misunderstand the Covenant I shall at this time manifest unto you in what sence I tooke the same conceiving my self obliged so to do chiefly in duty to the publick but withall in due respect to my own good name having been questioned by some how it could stand with my Covenant that I should be opposite in my judgement and endeavours to the government you intended or be so serious an Advocate for liberty of Conscience and I discerned a necessity of doing hereof at this instant of time by occasion of a sermon I lately heard at Pauls wherein all were supposed to be breakers of the Covenant that did not insist and be importunate for such a government so much power as the assembly of divines should think fit or to that effect urging with such vehemency of expression the pursuance of the Covenant in that sence with such threats of judgements and strong provocations that I was amazed thereat and had more feared the issue but that I knew those honourable persons to whom he spake were endued with wisdom to discerne whose worke he did though I confesse it was done so artificially as to have deceived the very choisest of men The two first articles of the Covenant are only materiall to the point in question and therefore I shall declare in what sence I took them not medling with any other part thereof The first Article is thus That we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God endeavour in our severall places and callings the preservation of the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in doctrine worship discipline and government against our common enemies by this I did binde my self to indeavour in my place and calling the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in doctrine worship discipline and government against our common enemies that is that our common enemies shall not in any sort disturbe our brethren the Covenanters of Scotland in the enjoyment of their Religion and that form of Church Government which they conceived most agreeable to the Word of God my bond being of force onely against our common enemies and in no measure as justifying or judging of the form of goverment be it Presbyterian or any other And I verily beleeve thousands that chearfully took the Covenant in reference to mutuall aid and assistance of them against our common enemies did not know or understand what their Goverment was and should they alter their government to some other forme J hold my self bound in duty to defend them therin against our common enemy and do judg the honourable Parliament of Scotland as free to alter as for ours to establish what God shall direct them and the people there as free to move for the removall of any thing they find prejudiciall in their goverment as we are here By the next vvords in the Covenant I binde my selfe in like manner to indevour the reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in doctrine worship discipline and Government according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches here the Word of God is my particular and expresse rule for the best Reformed Churches may need reformation and can at best only minister an occasion of consideration of what is good in them and agreeable to that word but that word is still my unerring rule and not reformed Churches Withall so farre as reformed Churches are in use in this case I could not but esteem that Church the best reformed vvhere no coercive power is admitted where there is no compulsion or molestation for Conscience sake or matters of Religion the word of God being clear and evident in that point And truly so far as matters of Conscience and Religion can be intrusted for I conceive no truly consciencious person in the world can absolutely intrust the regulation of his Conscience in the worship of God to any authority but so far as it can in this Nation of ours I am certain it belongeth onely to the Parliament to judge what is agreeable to the word of God and not unto the Assembly who were conveened by the Parliament to hear their advice but reserving all power of determination to themselves as no wise delegable to any others and God hath blessed all their undertakings in a wonderfull manner by the hands of Conscienscious people because of their just and tender regard unto their freedom in Religion notwithstanding all importunity to the contrary And where in the next place I bound my self to endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest coniunction and uniformity in Religion confession of Faith forme of Church goverment Directory for Worship and Catechisme I conceive my bond is of force onely as I understand these or any of these to be agreeable to the word of God which I must understand with my own understanding and not by any others and then also my endeavour for conformity must be only by lawfull and just means not by compulsion or enforcement but by love light and argument which was the way of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles and in so doing wee and our posterity after us may live in faith and love the Lord may delight to dwell in the middest of us for God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Nor do I conceive the Conscience of the Parliament to be any otherwise obliged then a particular mans Conscience their votes and results being issues of particulars and as they only are intrusted so I trust and am confident they will understand with their owne understandings and preserve us in our liberties not only as we are men but Christians namely in a liberty to be fully perswaded in our own minds in all things appertaining to Gods worship and