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A63990 Twelve weightie queries of great concernment shewing in what cases the difference of mens judgements, and opinions in matters of religion, is not to be restrained but tolerated by the civill power. 1646 (1646) Wing T3406; ESTC R38383 5,811 14

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Twelve weightie QUERIES OF GREAT CONCERNMENT SHEWING In what Cases the difference of mens Judgements and OPinions in matters of Religion is not to be restrained but tolerated by the Civill power Published according to Order LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons for Henry Overton and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Alley 1646. TWELVE WEIGHTIE QUERIES OF Great Concernment Shewing in what cases the difference of mens Judgments and opinions in matters of Religion is not to be restrained but tolerated by the Civill power IN what Cases the difference of mens Judgements and opinions in matters of Religion is not to be restrained but tolerated by the Civill power Declared in certaine Queries unto which that satisfaction may be given in away of cleere reason and demonstration in stead of prohibition and punishment is the earnest desire of all ingenuous men and particularly of those who in a confident expectation hereof have with all faithfulnesse adhered to the Parliament and stood up for their defence in time of their greatest danger and extremitie to the almost if not altogether ruining of themselves their Estates and Families and who can never be discouraged or with-drawne from their former activitie or readie affections to the Parliament by any thing so much as to be required with an unnaturall and unthankfull oppression in their Consciences Some things premised that are plaine in themselves and necessarie in the first place to be stated in order to the better clearing the ensuing Queries 1. That the knowledge which any man hath of God or capacitie rightly to judge and understand his will is the free gift of God is that which man is the receiver of from God and not the Author of in himselfe Rom. 11. Who hath knowne the mind of the Lord at any time Who hath given unto him c. 2. That the way by which God gives and conveighes this knowledge of himselfe and of his will unto man is by planting within man two fundamentall principles of light and illumination by the one of which he becomes a naturall man and beares the image of the earthly man the first Adam who was made a living soule and by the other of these he becomes a spirituall man and beares the Image of the heavenly man the second Adam who was made a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15. 3. These two fundamentall principles planted in man are given him by God for the Law and rule to teach and guide him in the knowledge of God and to enable him rightly to judge and discerne the will and mind of God in that which man is to thinke speake or doe these two Lawes in this sense are mentioned in Rom. 7. and 8. chap. the one is the Law of nature or of workes the other the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.3 and what the one could not doe in man or to man in that it was weake through the flesh that the other did and doth accomplish in man and for man through the quickning power of the eternall Spirit 4. These two Lawes or inward principles planted in man are in themselves holy righteous spirituall good and perfect and did evidently manifest themselves so to be by their operations in the persons of the first and of the second Adam and the weaknesse and deficiencie of the first was not in it selfe but onely in relation to the subject wherein it wrought It was weake through the flesh the state in which man was created and subjected to this Law was fraile and subject to change but the Law it selfe was without exception under it and by it was man made perfect in himselfe but they have sought out many inventions Ecclesiastes 7.29 V. These two Laws are still the two fundamentall principles which are given and continued by God in the hearts of men for their rule to guide and teach them in the knowledge of himself and of his will Rom. 2.13 14 15.25 26 29. so Gal. 4.21 22 23 24. according to the renewed operations of both or either of which in man since the fall he hath a capacity or power begotten in him more or lesse clearely to know God and rightly to judge and discern of his will and to make use of the Scriptures and all meanes conducing thereunto and otherwise then by this man since his fall is in himselfe unto all knowledge of God and to every good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 These things thus premised First Quaere Whether when it pleases God to renew the working and illuminations of both or either of these principles in any man it be not most reasonable lawfull and necessary that he should submit unto the same and follow the dictates and light thereof according to the measure and manner which God is pleased to dispence them unto him and whether it be not unreasonable unlawfull and notoriously sinfull in any man to act contrary to or differing from the cleer evidence full perswasion and light of both or either of these principles within him upon any command whatsoever from man or any outward pretence whatsoever Rom. 14.22 23. Second Quaere Whilest men doe carefully observe the inward Teachings Dictates and Operations of both or either of these principles whether may they not be said to hold fundamentalls of the knowledge of God and whether for the measures of illumination which for the present they have received though in the smallest and weakest degree waiting and earnestly inquiring after more Are they to be judged upbraided censured blamed or much lesse punished or put to death by others who take themselves to be much more learned and to have received in farre more abundance then they 1 Cor. 4.7 for who maketh thee to differ from another or what hast thou that thou hast not received Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Third Quaere Whether those measures of illumination and knowledge of God and of his will which are communicated to men onely by the light of nature which for the present they have and whilst they know no better may not be professed in word and practised in actions so farre as they ure sutable and agreeable to the law of Nature and this though Nature doe teach and disperse severall degrees of this knowledge and in different wayes of expression unto some more unto some lesse as in daily experience we see is done Fourth Quaere Whether such men faithfully obeying this inward principle of the light of Nature in the cleer illuminations and operations thereof and diligently improving all means which they meet with for the increase of their knowledge but yet for the present remaining altogether ignorant and unacquainted with the supernaturall principle the Law of the spirit of life in Christ which by the strength of nature is not attaineable but onely by the free gift and almighty power of God whether may not such men freely confesse their want of this knowledge and the difficulties they finde