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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	divine_a	former_a	great_a	202	4	2.0670	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28174	An useful case of conscience learnedly and accuratly discussed and resolved concerning associations and confederacies with idolaters, infidels, hereticks, malignants, or any other knoun enemies of truth and godlinesse : useful for these times and therefore published for the benefit of all those who desire to know or retain the sworn to principles of the sometimes famous Church of Christ in Scotland / by Hugh Binning.	Binning, Hugh, 1627-1653.	1693 (1693)	Wing B2934; ESTC R24656	57,320	52

condemn and falsifie the Declarations at that time in the supposing of the Paucitie of Instruments and in the application of that Doctrine and divine truth to that time but it doth not speak any thing against the application of that truth therein contained to our time it being more manifest that we have greater necessity and less Choise of Instruments and so in greater hazard of unbelief and overlooking what is behind us 3. It is of all Considerations the most Confounding to reflect upon our former Humiliations and Fasts How often hath it been Confessed to God as the predominant Publick sin of Scotland Countenancing and Employing the Malignant Partie But when we call particalarlie to mind the first Solemne Fast after the defeat at Dumbar Astonishment takes hold on us to think that it is now defended as a Duty which but some moneths ago was Solemnly confessed as a sin the not purging of the Army the obstructing of that work and great inclinations to keep in and fetch in such Persons and the repining at and crying out against all that was done in the contrarie was then reckoned as the great Cause of Gods Wrath and his sad stroak upon us What distraction may this breed in the hearts of the people of the Land to hear that same thing Complained of as great sin to day and Commended as a necessary Duty to morrow Is not all the Land presently called to mourn for the Kings sins of which this is one the designing a Conjunction with the Malignant Party and giving them warrand to rise in Arms for the defence of the Kingdome Now how shall they be able to reconcile these in their oun minds at the same time to mourn for that as a sin in the King which they hear commended as the Duty of the Parliament To fast a day for that as the Kings sin which they must go about to morrow as their oun Duty Tell it not in Gath Publish it not in Ashkelon lest the Daughters of the Philistines rejoyce Heathens may rise in Judgment against this Generation Semperidem ●elle atque idem nolle haec demum sapientiae est If any wise man be ubique semper sibi pay idem what ought a Godly man to be 3. Reason That which is an Uncertain mean of preservation of the Kingdom and a more Certain mean of destruction of Religion is utterly unlawfull But the employing and entrusting of all men promiscuously according as is holden out in the publick Resolutions is at best an uncertain mean of the preservation of the Kingdom and is a more certain mean of the destruction of Religion Ergo It is utterly unlawfull The First Proposition cannot be denyed When any less good comes in opposition with a greater good the Pesser good in that respect becomes evil We may not endanger certainly a greater good for the probable and incertain attainment of the lesser The Second Proposition I know will be Denyed as it was denyed in the time of the Engadgment by the Committee of Estates They said the Danger of Religion was not infallibile that it might eventually fall out so but not by any Causality And thus it is pleaded now That the danger of Religion is not inevitable That the danger of the Kingdom is certain and so these being laid in the ballance together we ought to eschew a certain danger of the Kingdoms Destruction rather hazard on a probable danger of Religion But we shall clear this and confirm the reason 1. The danger of the Kingdom is indeed great but it is not so certain and inevitable in case of not employing the Malignant party because there may be some competency of Power beside Now the Delivery and preservation of the Kingdom from this danger by conjunction with that party is either improbable because we have sentenced our selves to Destruction if ever we should do such a thing again We are standing under a curse whereto we have bound over ourselves And beside God is in a speciall manner parsuing that generation and hath raised up this Enemy for their destruction so that we may with greater probability expect to partake of their plagues and to fall under our oun Curse than to be Delivered or be instruments of Deliverance to the Kingdom Or at the best it is uncertain for what is more uncertain than the event of War The battel in this sense may be said peculiarly to belong to the Lord. Now on the other hand the danger of Religion is Certain and inevitable though not simply in it self and absolutely because the Lord doth in Heaven and earth what he pleases yet with a Morall Certainty and infallibility which is often as great as Physicall certainty Suppose these men having the power of the Sword prevail will they not employ it according to their principles and for attaining their oun ends which both are destructive to Religion What is more certain than that men act and speak from the Abundance of the heart when there is no outward restraint It should be a great wonder if they who are so accustomed to doe evil should cease to doe evil when they have power and Convenience to do it Power and greatness hath Corrupted many good men shall it Convert them Can men expect other fruits from a tree than the nature of it yeelds Will one seek figs on thorns or grapes on thistles 2. We do not see what Defence it can be for the present to the Kingdom at least the godly and well affected in the Kingdom who will be as much troubled in their persons and Estates by that Party as by the Common Enemy It is known what threatnings the Countrey is filled with which vents that inveterate Malice and hatred of all the well affected in the Kingdom which they have kept within their breast of a long time and now they find opportunity of outing it It is as clear as day light that the most part of all the secluded persons looks upon these that opposed them in the Engadgment and shut them out of places of Trust and Capacity of Employment as enemies and as great Enemies as the Sectaries And that we may know what to expect when they have full power in their hand they have already so lift up their head that no Godly man can promise himself security in many places And especially the faithfull Gentlmen and people of the West who have given more proof of their Faithfullnesse to the Cause and Kingdom against the Common Enemie than any others in the Land Yet are daily suffering violence from these preservators of the Kingdom while they are sufferers under the feet of the Enemy When they have no common Enemy whom I beseech yow will they prey upon seing they do it already while they have an Enemy But it is replyed That none of the least Suspition are allowed to be in such trust and power as may be prejudiciall to Religion And that ane oath is to be taken of all which is

AN USEFULL Case of CONSCIENCE Learnedly and Accuratly Discussed and Resolved Concerning Associations and Confederacies with Idolaters Infidels Hereticks Malignants or any other knoun Enemies of Truth and Godlinesse BY M r. HUGH BINNING Sometime Professor of Philosophie in the Universitie of Glasgow thereafter Minister of Gods Word at Goven Usefull for these times And therefore published for the benefit of all those who desire to know or retain the sworn to Principles of the sometimes famous Church of Christ in SCOTLAND Printed in the Year M.DCXCIII That the Present Publick RESOLUTIONS And Proceedings do Import a Conjunction with the MALIGNANT PARTY In the Kingdome and of the Sin Danger and Scandal of that way Sect. 1. That there is a Malignant Party still in the Kingdom IN the Entry to this businesse the Importunity of not a few makes it needfull to speak somwhat to a Question which unto this time hath been unquestioned as beyond all exception That is Whether there be yet in Scotland a Malignant Partie Or Whether there be at this time any Partie who may and ought in Reason and Christian prudence be reputed and looked upon as Malignants and disaffected to the Covenanted Cause of God It seems the more needfull to speak somwhat of this First Because some Ministers are become slack and silent in this point as if now there were no need of Watchfullness and Warning against any such partie 2. Because the expressions of many of the people of the Land run that way that there are now no Malignants in Scotland and that it is but a few Factious Ministers that will still keep up these names that they may more easily with others of their oun stamp weaken and divide the Kingdome for carrying on of their oun ends 3. Because the Inclinations and Resolutions of the Publick Judicatories in reference to most of the Party who carryed that name doth clearly import that they do think they are no more to be looked upon as Malignants as appears from severall of their papers especially the Letter written for satisfaction to the Presbytery of Sterling And therfore this must be laid down as the Foundation of what follows That there is still in the Land not only a few persons but a Party considerable for Number Power and Policy who are Malignant and dissaffected to the Covenant and Cause of God We would joyn heartily in the desire of many that these and other such like Odious names of different parties and factions were taken away But we cannot joyn in the Reasons of this desire which are ordinarly given We wish the name Malignant were Obsolete and antiquate if so be the thing it self which is such a root of bitternesse were extirpated out of the Church yea though the thing it self remained if men would hate it for it self and account it more odious and hatefull than the name imports we would be glad it were no more heard of Because we find this prejudice by all such Appropriated Names that People generally Looks upon that which goes under that name as the only sin and as if there were not that root of bitterness in all which it grows out of in any and so conceive themselves good Christians if they fall not under that hatefull Appellation of Malignants But seing this bitter fruit of Enmity against Godliness and the Godly comes to more ripeness and maturity in many of this Generation than in others who yet are unconverted And seing it hath been the Custome of the Church of God in all Generations to discriminate many more Ungodly and knoun haters of Godliness and his people from the common sort of naturall people and to comprehend them under these names of Wicked of Malignant of Enemies as may appear in the old Testament especially in the Psalms And more especially in our days that name hath been appropriated to such who have declared themselves in their words or Actions to be haters of Godlinesse and the power thereof and his People Or have arisen to the height of Actuall Opposition against these we cannot be blamed for using such a name still for distinctions sake We proceed to some Reasons 1. The constant and Continued Proceedings of the Generall Assembly and their Commissioners for many years past unto this day There is not almost any of their Warnings Declarations or Remonstrances which doth not Assert this and warn against it and that not only before the Kings home coming and taking of the Covenant but also since that time as is evident by the Declaration emitted by the Commission in Iuly Last the Declaration of the Assembly it self a litle after by the Declaration emitted at Sterling since the defeat at Dumbar the Causes of the Fast upon that defeat the Remonstrance to the King at Perth after his escape together with the Remonstrance given in by them to the Parliament All which doe clearly hold forth this Truth 2. Take Christs Rule By their fruits ye shall know them There is a great Party in the Land that adhere to Malignant Principles bring forth Malignant fruits and tread Malignant Paths As may appear in these instances 1. A great many of these who have been formerly engadged in such Courses and under Church Censures did lately Conjoyne together and rise in Arms and drew away the King from the Publick Counsels of the Kingdom and refused to Lay down Arms till they got Conditions agreeable to their mind which Course of theirs was justly declared by the Commission to carry upon it the stamp of Malignancie in an Eminent way 2. The seeking to promove and Establish an Arbitrarie Power in the Person of the King as it hath been still the Endeavour of the Malignant Party so it hath been alwayes taken by the Kirk of Scotland as one of their Characters and that there is a Party now in Scotland who still hold that Principle and drive this Designe of Arbitrary Power is evident First Because these same men who were Lately in Arms did not only take up Arms upon the Kings simple Warrant and without the Knowledge and contrare to the mind of the Committee of Estates But also received the Act of Indemnity and laid down Arms in obedience to the Kings Majesty without so much as mentioning or Acknowledging the Committee of Estates as it is to be seen in a Paper Subscrived by them and in the Remonstrance of the Commission of the Generall Assembly dated at Perth Novr. 29. 1650. The words whereof are these Your Lordships would Likewise Consider Whether it doth not Encroach upon the present Constitution of Goverment of this Kingdom and will not Involve your Lordships in the Guilt of these mens Sin if You shall accept upon their Laying doun of Arms Meerly upon the Profession of Obedience to the Kings Command without any expression of their respect and obedience to the Committee of Estates or any Acknowledgment of their sin and Offence which we hope you will look upon as a most Unnaturall and unseasonable