Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A56832
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The loyall convert
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Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644.
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1644
(1644)
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Wing Q107; ESTC R6161
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14,154
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26
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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