Saintship No Ground of Sovereignty, Title page – Dedication
SAINTSHIP No ground of SOVERAIGNTY: OR A TREATISE Tending to prove, That the SAINTS, barely conſidered as ſuch, ought not to GOVERN.
By Edw: Bagſhaw, Student of Ch: Ch:
ACADEMIA OXONIESIS
SAPIENTIA ET FELICITATIS
Oxford, Printed by H: Hall, Printer to the Ʋniverſity, for T. Robinſon. 1660.
To the Honorable JOHN DORMER Eſq; A Member of PARLIAMENT.
Worthy Sir,
THough the manner of my Life and nature of my Studies doth lead me to affect a more then ordinary Retiredneſs and Privacy, yet I neither am, nor ought to be ſo great a ſtranger to the paſſages of Providence amongſt us, as not to take notice what great things it hath pleaſed God of late to doe for this Nation; if not by compleating our hopes, yet at leaſt by preventing our fears, and bringing us within ſome nearer view of Settlement: Whileſt others therefore are taken up with celebrating the Authors, and magnifying the means of our deliverance: I have a little made it my buſineſſe to ſearch into the cauſe of our Danger; which if once rightly ſtated, will be a direction for our preſent Senators, to ſecure themſelves againſt that Rock, on which the Ship of the COMMON-WEALTH hath almoſt been ruined. And herein there was no need of any long ſtudy; for who does not ſee, that the too free venting of all ſorts of Opinions, and that by all ſorts of men, how ignorant and unconcerned ſoever, will, if not reſtrained, for ever keep us a Divided, and conſequently, make us an Unſetled People? Amongſt thoſe many Principles, which are now let looſe upon us, (to exerciſe the Faith and Patience of this laſt Age) there is none that I know of, which doth either more immediately conduce to the ruine of all Civil Government, or had a greater influence, in the pretences at leaſt, of the Actors, upon our late unwarrantable Diſturbances, then this which I have here endeavored to confute. For let this once be granted, that our Saviour is a Temporal Prince, and that onelyonly thoſe have a right to Govern who have by Faith an Intereſt in him, preſently a door is opened to all manner of Rebellion and Treaſon; nay, there can be no ſuch Crimes in the World, if Religion, and a deſign to advance our Saviours Kingdom, be once made the pretence to authorize them. Indeed the conſequents are ſo fatall and horrid, and the remembrance of Munſter Affairs (which were acted by the ſame ſpirit) ſo freſh, Sleid. lib. 10.and recent, that it might almoſt ſeem needleſs to endeavor any other confutation, then a bare relating of that Story.
But Sir, that I may take here that liberty, which you have hitherto always indulged me, of ſpeaking my thoughts: I never yet looked upon that way of confuting an Error, which the Arminian Writers do uſually tread in, to be either Rational or Convincing; I mean, by urging the Inconveniences and ill Conſequences of the Doctrine we diſpute againſt: For it is one Queſtion, What is true? and another, What is convenient? and after all thoſe Tragical Inferences, wherewith men ſeek to affright unwary and unobſerving Readers, yet this will be an eternal Axiome, That truth is truth, let the conſequences be what they will; and the more harſh and repugnant any Doctrine, if plainly revealed, ſeems unto Naturall Reaſon, the greater is our Faith, and the more ſignall our Obedience, if we notwithſtanding do ſubmit unto and embrace it. In proſecution therefore of this Deſign (which I have laid down to my ſelf, as the onelyonly ſatisfactory way of deciding all Controverſies in Divinity) I have not inquired ſo much how dangerous, or how deſtructive and ruinous the contrary Doctrine is, as how it is written; and ſo have proceeded by direct proof, to ſhew that their Opinion who would have Soveraignty founded upon that bottom, is utterly unſcriptural; for that it is unreaſonable, I think none makes any queſtion. And therefore I hope this Treatiſe may be uſeful for thoſe who erre, not knowing the Scriptures, and following the ſound of words, have not leiſure, nor perhaps ability, to look into the ſenſe of them. Had I conſulted my own credit, I might have made this Diſcourſe more plauſible, by filling up my Pages with the Authority of ancient Writers; but I purpoſely forbore, both becauſe thoſe, for whoſe ſakes I mainly publiſh it, are not acquainted with any thing of Chriſtianity, more then their Engliſh Bibles do inſtruct them in; and likewiſe becauſe I thought it needleſs, having ſo much of Divine Authority for my Text, to croud humane Teſtimonies into the Margin; ſince ſuch mixtures doe uſually make a good Cauſe ſuſpected.
Sir, Whatever it is, I humbly preſent it to you, and doubt not, how rude and inartificial ſoever it ſeems, but it will finde entertainment among thoſe who love ſeaſonable Truths, if you pleaſe firſt to honor it with your Acceptance: Whoſe Piety, Prudence, Integrity, and Zeal for your Countrys Liberty and Welfare, have as much advanced you in the Eſteem and Judgement of all ſober and unprejudiced men, as your many perſonal Favours in the Heart and Affections, of,
Worthy Sir, Your moſt obliged, and moſt humbly devoted Servant, Edw: Bagſhaw. Ch: Ch: Jan. 26. 1659.