Might Overcoming Right, Title page – Dedication
ΚΑΤΑΔΥΝΑΣΤΗΣ: MIGHT OVERCOMING RIGHT, OR A CLEER ANSWER to M. JOHN GOODWIN's MIGHT and RIGHT well met.
Wherein is cleared, That the Action of the Army in ſecluding many Parliament men from the place of their diſcharge of Truſt, and the impriſoning of ſome of them, Is neither defenſible by the rules of ſolid Reaſon, nor Religion.
By John Geree M. A. and Paſtour of Faith's under Pauls in LONDON.
Help Lord, for the godly man ceaſeth; for the faithfull fail from among the children of men. Pſal. 12.1.
Ferenda eſt magis omnis neceſſitas, quàm perpetranda eſt aliqua iniquitas, Auguſt. in Pſal. 73.
Non enim mihi eſt vita mea utilior, quàm animi mei talis affectio, neminem ut violem commodi mei gratiâ, Cicero. lib. 3. Offic.
Publiſhed by Authority.
LONDON, Printed for Robert Boſtock at the King's Head in Paul's Church-yard. 1649.
TO THE Right Honourable LADIES, THE LADY VERE, AND THE LADY FAIRFAX Her DAUGHTER: GRACE and PEACE.
Right Honourable, and Religious LADIES:
IT is not any acquaintance with your Honours, that imboldens me to this dedication, for I am a ſtranger to you; nor yet your deſerved fame for your eminency, and ſincerity, in Religion, though that be ſo illuſtrious that it might ingage Godly Miniſter to be ambitious of your Patronage, But that aſſurance that I have, that both your Ladyſhips are affectionately ſerious againſt thoſe irregular ways that I implead, and the ſervice you may do to God by your intereſt, in the furthering the acceptance of my poor labours to be effectuall, where they may be of moſt uſe: for the Medicine I adminiſter is ſomewhat unpleaſing, and harſh, and therefore needs the hands of Ladies for the application. And what Ladies can do it with more acceptance then your Ladiſhips; one of which cannot but be greatly reſpected, becauſe the other, that firſt lay in her wombe, now lies in the boſome, of the chieftain Generall of thoſe, whoſe actings, this Treatiſe doth concerne. Madam (for now I apply my ſpeech to your Ladiſhip who hath been an ancient mother in our Iſrael) After the way that hath been called Puritaniſme have I ſerved the God of my fathers for ſomewhat above 33 yeares. And yet I beleeve by the ſame, that I have heard of your Ladiſhip, your Ladiſhip was ſpiritually in Chriſt long before me. And I may ſay as S. Paul (with a little alteration) that after the ſtricteſt way of that Religion I lived, and taſted deep for many years together, of ſuch afflictions as either Chancelours Courts, or high Commiſſsion, were uſed to impoſe on men of my principles, and yet the dayes I ſee, and am like to ſee (unleſſe the God of heaven gratiouſly interpoſe) are far more dolefull then any yet that I have ſeen, For there is a mourning that is bleſſed, for it ſhall end in comfort, and ſuch was that which then I met with, when my heart was ſmitten and withered like graſſe, and by reaſon of the voyce of my groaning, my bowels did cleave to my skin, and I was pale with faſting, while mine enemies reproached me all the day; and there is a laughter, and triumphing, which hath a wo denounc'd upon it, becauſe it ſhall end in mourning and weeping. Luk. 6.21.25. And ſuch is the joy and triumph in theſe dayes in ſucceſſe in irregular ways. O Madam had ſuch ways as are now in agitation been propoſed to your dearly reſpected friend old*See Bifield on 1 Pet. 2.13. where among other there is this paſſage. The Jeſuites who maintain that horrid doctrine of depoſing and murrthering Princes, are rather to be confuted with ſtrokes, then arguments, as men that offend not only againſt the lawes of God, but the lawes of nations, and nature. Mr. Bifield, with what an eye would he have lookt upon them? Or let us ſuppoſe when our ancient worthies ſuch as Cartwright, Traverſe, Dod, Bradſhaw &c. being calumniated by the Prelates for diſreſpect to authority, for not conforming to unlawfull ceremonies, have replied that they did aſcribe as much honour, and teach as much ſubjection to Magiſtrates as any in things lawfull and in things unlawfull, they ſhewed their reſpect by patient ſubmiſsion to ſuffering: Or when our Godly Polemicall divine, ſuch as Jewell, Reynolds, Whitaker, &c. have rejected that falſe pretence of the Papiſt, that the Primitive Chriſtians were ſo ſubject to the heathen Emperours, quia deerant vires temporales, becauſe they wanted temporall ſtrength; ſuppoſe I ſay, ſome one of the worſt of Prelates or Jeſuites, ſhould have beſpoke them, O ye hypocrites, or falſe hearted men, how do you diſſemble with us, or let your hearts deceive you! for if over you be Maſters of power, yee will trample under your feet all above you, that will not comply with you, yea you will impriſon, attaint, murther your King; would our worthies have returned with leſſe indignation, and acrimony then S. Paul to Elymas? O full of all ſubtilty, and miſchief, O Children of the Devill, you enemies of righteouſneſſe, will you not ceaſe to pervert the wayes of the Lord? Act. 13.10. And yet behold a generation riſen up, who for the moſt part, have not known the brick-kilnes of Egypt that if they had ſo accuſed our worthies, would by their actions have made them true Prophets. Oh Madam, let us ſit down and weep over our Religion, which theſe men have raviſh'd and done her ſhame, and we whether ſhall we cauſe her ſhame to go? How ſhall we now looke Papiſts in the face? whom we have ſo reviled, and abhorred for their derogatory doctrine, and damnable practices againſt Kings, or any in ſupreme authority? What ſhall we do with the Writings of our Worthies, ſhall we give over reading, as the manner of ſome is? or learn another trick of the Papiſts, and get an Index Expurgatorius to blot out of their Writings ſuch paſſages as cry guilt and ſhame on our actions? But affection hath almoſt made me forget the bounds of an Epiſtle. Therefore honorable Ladies, go on with aſsiduity, conſtancy, and increaſing ſervor to with-draw him (whom you ſo dearly reſpect) from ſociety in actions ſo contrary to the honour of God and our Religion. Oh ſtudy, that it may never be ſaid, That any perſon of Honor, and of the Proteſtant Religion, had any hand in ſo unworthy an action, as the depoſing and deſtroying of a King, whoſe preſervation they ſtand bound to endevor by ſo many ſacred Bonds. So ſhall your Ladiſhips do an office pleaſing to God, Honorable to your relations, an ornament to your Religion, and unſpeakably uſefull for your Native Country. And if as a poor means thereof, you ſhall preſent one of theſe poor Treatiſes to his Excellency, written on purpoſe to diſpell thoſe miſts that a deceived Brother hath endevoured to caſt before his eyes; your Ladiſhips ſhall deeply engage to be your Ladyſhips daily Orator at the throne of Grace
From my Study in Ivie-lane, Jan. 15. 1648. Madams, Your Ladiſhips humble Servant in the LORD JESUS, JOHN GEREE.