Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n
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A77402
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A briefe answer to a booke called The declaration of the kingdomes of England and Scotland. Sent in a letter from a Member of the House of Commons.
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Member of the House of Commons.
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1644
(1644)
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Wing B4539; Thomason E46_2; ESTC R4220
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5,085
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12
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their positions be not received the Church destroyed the Lawes subverted and all men enter into a new Covenant against Religion Law and Loyalty and this they call truth without which they defie peace till there be no man left to enjoy it The summe of this Declaration is a denunciation of warre against all that enter not into this new Covenant and which they say God would never have put into their hearts if he had meant to destroy them It seemes they shake hands with their brethren the Anabaptists in relying on their fanaticke enthusiasmes True Christian humility is farre from these presumptions and guides it's wayes by the light of Holy Scripture trying the spirits whether they be of God or no and trusting not these injections which the Prince of darkenesse casts into unstable mindes it were strange presumption to pretend particular divine inspirations to any Politicke though just Constitutions but to those that are against duty to God and his Vicegerent can have no other estimation then of grand imposture sacrilegious usurpation and prophanation of the name of God who is thereby endeavoured to be made patron of such works of darknesse The ends of Lopez Faux and other assassinats might strike men with horror when they goe about to intitle God with auspications so opposite to his truth and holinesse and their Covenant being no better then the Vow of the Jewes not to eate or drinke till they have killed Paul their prayers and fastings for the successe of it are no other in Gods account then Jezebells fast and Absolon's sacrifice the one the disguise of an horrid murder the other of unnaturall rebellion They declare the taking of their Covenant is the onely way to their favour and doe not tell where it 's expressed or implyed in the word of God or enjoyned by the Lawes of the Land and yet the not taking of it drawes the losse of Life Liberty Propriety and Priviledge of Parliament which the authors perswade men they fight for and which they have solemnly protested to defend and how can they satisfie any man or themselves that they observe their oathes while they destroy that which they swore to preserve And as God put it into their hearts to enter into their Covenant so they tell us he hath displayed their banner The cursing Assyrian told Gods people he was come up in the name of the Lord against Jerusalem and this presumption of these authors of our troubles truly entitles them to be successors of these unhappy troublers of Kingdomes and States who fighting the Devill 's quarrell under Gods colours and seducing the credulous multitude into the lewdest opinions and most execrable actions under the false pretences of divine revelations have subverted the foundations of peace and government in most flourishing nations And they hope to affright all men from their conscience by these new edicts whereby the King hath neither right nor forfeiture nor power of pardon and they that fight for law judge crimes and inflict punishment against law and allow no man life liberty or estate but at pleasure They proclaime some favours so they be taken in time but it is upon the condition of future good behaviour that they may possibly obtayne mercy for their lives that have no estates to loose by adventuring their lives and soules in defence of this Covenant But Estates they are loath to part with lest their owne occasions whereunto all their proffers and promises are subservient should need them or such as have beene most eminent in this Rebellion loose the reward of their Countryes ruine and therefore these are reserved to discretion neutrality is odious to them and they may perhaps be instruments to punish the coldnesse of some that preferre their private ease before their loyalty and love to their Country and a good conscience though they want not guilt who having no Commission from God or his Vicegerent inflict it on them Papists are not to have mercy for any loyalty to their King their Religion is not the object of the hatred of these Legislators but a crime more unpardonable their abstinence from Treason Such as have misguided the Kings counsells are joyned in the same list with Papists and these must be taken into consideration by these States or their Committees surely where Rebells judge their Princes Counsellours fidelity must be a crime and no man that hath had courage enough to preserve his conscience but may come within this pale and become an example of this arbitrary power and where onely a false finger must guide the Counsells they approve it 's apparent what misguiders they intend Hereby you may rightly state the question touching the present differences which is not whether these men fight for Religion and Lawes but whether their taking Armes against the command of the King to alter Religion and Lawes be Treason or not they never yet afford Petitions of right but Propositions against Right and their present edicts against Law Loyalty and Liberty of the Subject is a convincing evidence of this truth If the truth they so much desire be divine they would not maligne our Church which rejects none and hath had the concurrent Testimonies of the best Reformed Churches for the truth of her Doctrines which were never denied by any but Atheists Papists or Sectaries Some truths may safely be unknowne wherein the best Reformed Churches and Orthodox professors have not beene of one judgement yet have kept the unity of the spirit in the band of peace and were never the creed of the Church of God in any age but that the sword might be taken up by Subjects against their King to impose such opinions as necessary to be beleeved had never lesse censure amongst sober Christians then of Tyranny upon the conscience disturbance of the Churches peace scandall to Religion and Rebellion against the Lords Anointed but it seemes that which they call their Religion is a heape raked together our of the inconsistent dictates of disagreeing Sectaries which conspire in the Churches ruines to establish their tumultuary licence and though their Babell laid in Rebellion against God and his Vicegerent and built in such divisions of languages cannot possibly preserve truth and peace yet these men that have thus taken up the sword will either finish the desolation of their native Country or erect this monument of confusion Surely Sir if these men regarded the teares of age or bloud of innocents the penury exile and distresse of men of all estates the decay of the beauty honour and strength of this nation the fainting of all arts learning and industry the losse of trade increase of Widowes Orphans and maimed poore if they had any feeling of the miseries of sickenesse sword and famine if any tendernesse of their brethren or Country if any respect of honour to their King reverence to the Church of God or glory of his name they would not preferre uncertaine opinions of unnecessary truths before the certaine ruine of Church and State The worst dayes we formerly saw were a golden age to the present and we may rather desire then expect a restitution of our former happinesse which these men are not affected to that will not admit it without the satisfaction of their owne inordinate passions and as if they were afraid of their owne affections they fetter their consciences to shut out all considerations that may incline them to peace I hope if you were not you are satisfied that the same men that caused the warre are enemies to peace and that the Authors of this Declaration are the Authors and Maintainers of our troubles for if they meant to have conditions which they give as Conquerors accepted they would at least spare the conscience though they devoured the State I commit it to your judgment FINIS