The Wounded Conscience Cured, Section 6
Sect. VI.
NOw the Doctor comes to the application of all in theſe two faſt Sections, in which I intend not to trace him into all that he ſaies. The application of all being left unto what men ſee and know experimentally; yet ſomething I muſt ſay unto theſe Sections. In this ſixth he tells us that we doe not walke up unto our own… principles, which are as (he ſaith) that our reſiſtance muſt be omnibus ordin but regni conſentientibus: that is (as he tranſlates it) agreed upon and undertaken by the generall and unanimous conſent of the whole States.
Anſ. But is this a good and true tranſlation of the words? The Doctor may know that when the matter comes to a ſcrutiny in the Regent houſe the matter is to paſſe with the conſent of the Regents, non-Regents, and heads of the Univerſity; and though all doe not manimouſly as one Man conſent, yet it may be omnibus ordinibus conſentientibus.
But he ſaith, How ſhall conſcience be perſwaded that this reſiſtance was agreed upon by an unanimous and free conſent of the States; for ſaith he, he that knowes how the Militia (in which this reſiſtance chiefly began) was brought in, with what oppoſition eſpecially in the Lords Houſe, and by what number that at length was voted; alſo how the like proceedings was voted ſince, how that a vote paſſed by a few upon the place, though it have the power and condition of a vote, for the formality of law was not paſſed in full aſſemblies, cannot be perſwaded in conſcience that this is ſuch an unanimous, free & generall conſent as makes the judgement of the whole Kingdom.
Anſ. To the which I anſwer, that by the like reaſoning, there is no act of Parliament or Law, ſhall be of any force; and he may as well queſtion any law that is made; for when was there ever any law made, which all did unanimouſly as one man conſent to? By the conſtant law of the Kingdome though there be not ſo many in either Houſe which have been preſent at theſe late affairs of the Kingdome, it is to be acknowledged for an act of Parliament, and ſo the judgement of the whole Kingdom.
Then ſecondly, he tells us, That we doe not walk up to our ſecond principle, viz. that our reſiſtance muſt be meerly defenſive, for, ſaith he, thoſe that are firſt in armes cannot be upon the defenſive part, page 22. and then page 21. ſaith he, who were firſt in armes? He that can number the ſucceſſion of months and weeks in his Almanacke, may decide this, he ſhal find that armed men were thruſt into Hull, the Militia ſet up, &c.
Anſ. To which I anſwer, If thoſe that are firſt in armes cannot be on the defenſive part, then ſurely Davids act was not meere defence, as the Doctor ſaith before: for we finde in Scripture, that David, and his men were gotten into armes before that Saul followed him: ſurely the Doctors Almanack hath not all the months in it, for he begins his account only at the buſineſſe at Hull, wheras before that, the King came in hoſtile manner unto the Parliament, gathered forces about Windſor, but this muſt be left unto mens eies, and experienced knowledge, it being matter of fact.
Then the Dr. (I know not how) comes to enquire into the cauſe of theſe armes, wherein after ſome flouriſhes, he ſaith, Would an… man have defended the revolt of the ten Tribes, if Rehoboam had promiſed to conſerve their liberties? Saying further, what ſhall we then generally thinke of this revolt from allegeance, which hath poſſeſſed well neare tenn… Tribes of the twelve, and yet in page 21. he tells us of a vote paſſed by … few upon the place, that this worke of reſiſtance is not carried on with a generall and unanimous conſent, and yet here he ſaith, ten tribes of twelv… are for it.
In examining the cauſes of this war and reſiſtance, the Dr. ſaith▪ To ſpeake truth, Religion and liberties can be no other then the pretences of this war, the King having fortified them with ſo many acts of his grace paſſed this Parliament, that they cannot be in that danger that is pretende… for the raiſing of this war: It muſt be ſomething that his Majeſty indeed doth deny, for which the contention is raiſed; which we ſhall finde to be his power of armes, his power of denying in Parliament the government of the Church, and the revenue of it, which he is bound by oath to maintaine, as by law they are eſtabliſhed.
Anſ. This is a very bold aſſertion and ſcandalous to charge a Parliament in the face of the world with hypocriſie: but how doth this agree to the Drs. owne principles, who doth declaime againſt me… for their uncharitableneſſe, in not beleeving the Kings Proteſtations? Is this then no uncharitableneſſe in him, charging the Houſes with pretending one thing, and intending another? Is not conſcience a… well bound to be charitable, and to beleeve the Proteſtations of th… Parliament, as thoſe papers that come out in the name of the King? and hath the Parliament and Houſes carried themſelves ſo unworthily and baſely, that under pretence of Religion, we ſhould think… they gape after the revenues of the Church? O where is this man… charity? And if the King be bound by oath (as the Dr. ſaith) to maintaine the government of the Church as by Law eſtabliſhed, yet h… is no more bound by vertue of that oath to maintaine that government then any other Law of the Kingdom; and as for other Laws, i… the King and Parliament thinke fit to repeale them, they may, ye… without breach of the Kings oath: ſo in this alſo.
Then the Doctor comes in the 25. page to open himſelfe ſome what more freely concerning the government of the Church b… Biſhops: where he ſaith, That it is ſuch a government which t… Church alwaies had ſince the firſt receiving of the Chriſtian faith in th… land, and of all other governments ſimply the beſt, the aboliſhing wher… of, the King hath reaſon by power of Armes to divert.
To which I anſwer, Firſt, that if the Doctor looke into the ſtory of Queen Maries time, he ſhall finde, that ſuffering Proteſtant Churches, (which by reaſon of perſecution, were faine to lye hid in London) were governed by Elders and Deacons: That is ſimply the beſt government of the Church which is chalked and ruled out by the Scripture, as the Doctor will confeſſe: and if this government bee ſo, I wonder that thoſe that are ſo much for it, ſhould bee of that judgement, that there is no particular forme of Church-government laid downe in the word: which judgement they muſt needs bee of, unleſſe they will hold, that the government of other Churches is ſinfull, and contrary unto the word, which they are loth for to doe. And truly if this government be ſimply the beſt, the beſt hath the worſt ſucceſſe: for there is no government in all the Churches of Chriſtendome, that hath had ſo many Sects and Schiſmes, or occaſioned ſo much ſeparation from the Churches of Chriſt, as this hath done. There are many Sects and diviſions in the low Countries, but none of them departing from the Proteſtant Church there, by reaſon of the Church-government or diſcipline, but by reaſon of doctrine.
Let any man but ſeriouſly conſider the Proteſtant Churches in Switzerland, France, Holland, Germany, Scotland, and hee ſhall eaſily obſerve, that there is no ſuch ſeparation or diviſion made from the Churches by reaſon of the Church-government ſtabliſhed in them, as hath been here in England, by reaſon of this Dioceſan government. And if any man ſhall ſay, this bad ſucceſſe here is rather to bee imputed to the wickedneſſe of the Governours, then the corruption of government: Why ſhould hee thinke that the Governours in England are more wicked then in other Proteſtant Churches, if the government itſelfe did not give ſcope to their wickedneſſe? And if the government of Dioceſan Biſhops, bee of all governments the beſt, wee wonder that Chriſt and his Apoſtles ſhould not appoint it: ſurely they appointed ſome government in the Church; and what they appointed was …ure Divino, and ſo beſt; whereas this was never counted Iure Divino till of late. But if this government bee ſimply the beſt, it will abide triall in its due time and place: but that it ſhould be ſo good, as that the aboliſhing thereof, the King hath reaſon by power of Armes to divert, this is ſtrange. Now the Doctor ſhewes himſelfe, that hee had rather the Kingdome ſhould be embrewed in a bloody warre, then Epiſcopacie ſhould be put downe; and that will ſtirre up the King to an unnaturall civill warre for the upholding of that order: Judge yee, O all Engliſhmen, whether it be better for you to have this order taken away, then for the whole Kingdome to lie imbrewed in their owne gore?
In the concluſion of this Section the Doctor complaines, That the Kings Speare and Cruſe, and neceſſary Ammunition, and proviſions, are taken away, not reſtored though often demanded, contrary, ſaith hee, to the example of David, who having taken the Speare and the Cruſe from Saul his King, reſtored them againe before they were demanded, 1 Sam. 26.
Anſ. But though Sauls Speare was reſtored before it was demanded, yet not before Saul had humbled himſelfe to David, ſaying, I have ſinned; returne, my ſonne David, for I will no more doe thee harme; becauſe my ſoule was pretious in thine eyes this day: Behold, I have played the foole, and have erred exceedingly, verſ. 21. Whereupon David aroſe, and ſaid, verſ. 22. Behold the Kings Speare, let one of the young men come over and fetch it. Neither is mention here made of reſtoring the Cruſe. Some other things the Doctor hath in this Section, wherein hee doth rather charge then prove, but mens knowledge may ſufficiently anſwer to thoſe things.