Touching our Present Impositions of Loyalty and Obedience, Title page – Errata
A Peaceable Resolution OF CONSCIENCE Touching our present Impositions.
WHEREIN LOYALTY & OBEDIENCE ARE PROPOSED, And settled upon their true Foundation in SCRIPTURE, REASON, and the Constitution of this KINGDOM, against all Resistance of the present Powers: And for Complyance with the Laws, so far as may be in order to Ʋnion.
With a Draught, or Specimen of a BILL for ACCOMMODATION.
Ipse autem Rex non debet esse sub homine, sed sub Deo, & Lege, quia Lex facit Regem. Attribuat igitur Rex Legi, quod Lex attribuit ei, videlicet dominationem & potestatem. Non enim est Rex ubi dominatur voluntas, non Lex. Bract. l. 1. c. 8.
LONDON, Printed for Robert Clavel at the Peacock in St. Pauls Church Yard, Thomas Simmons at the Princes Arms, and Jacob Sampson next the Wonder Tavern in Ludgate-street, 1680.
THE Epistle to the READER
READER,
THat those who soberly fear God throughout the Nation may know their present interest in England, whatsoever hath been the effects of some unadvised minds but lately among the Scots, I take this for a fit season to send abroad these Sheets, while most people seem to me to become more feavourish in their Allegiance to the Higher Powers, then is allowed to them in the thirteenth to the Romans, and this Dissertation upon it. They were in the substance (excepting the Conclusion) prepared many years ago, and seen by many, such as Bishop Wilkins, Judge Hales, and other the like judicious persons; and there has been several Papers since these lay by, published and presented to the late long Parliament for removal of these injunctions, unto which (seeing such attempts as yet have prevailed nothing,) this Discourse comes out with the best assistance it is able, for submission. That is, so far it must be supposed only, as every man can with a safe Conscience. Those kind of Papers therefore, and this Book are indeed no enemies. The Imposition of these Laws is one thing, and the Submission to them is another. He that writes against them, and he that writes for them upon these two accounts, does but carry on the same Work. The one may propose our Difficulties as a reason for a Relaxation: the other may bring the Solution when that cannot be obtained. If any Parliament be got to release the Burden, or the Concerned be satisfied in Conscience to bear it, it comes to one. I need not say which I think best, or desire most, but the design is …eace and Moderation in both. The Candid will see this, some others will not see it, but accuse the Design of Contradiction. To this purpose I would have it observed, that in a few Sheets Entituled, The Peaceable Design, set out by some Ministers of London, in the year 1675, when they come to offer their Arguments against the Oxford Oath, they have these Words. Which we desire may be taken with Candour in respect only to our design, that is, as Argumentative for the removal of these injunctions, not as peremptorily Definitive of our own judgments, and much less of others above our Sphere, in the cases concern'd in them. These are Words put in de industria to anticipate such an accusation.
Nor is it the fruit of a generous Christian mind, to regard a mans self only, what I can do, how far I can go, or what is fit for me (or one party) without consideration of others. There are many young men in whose hearts God I hope hath sowen his Grace, that are training up at the University, and in other places, whose Parents expect they should enter the Publick Vineyard, and while their Consciences are limber and not grown stiff as ours are, they have need of such a Book as this is, and such a Confessour to them as I am. I have writ other Papers for my self: I have writ this Book for them. That such may have the more Faith in what they act, and we the more Charity in our thoughts of them, if they do otherwise then we do. For my part, I am a debtor to those that fear God, and Conform not: and I am a debtor to those that fear God, and do Conform. Besides, if by this means I can come but to open our sore to the Publick cure, or get that case to be pondered, which I cannot by other means, I think my greatest purpose is not lost; I will conclude therefore with these two texts. One is, Do I perswade (that is give way to, or obey) Men or God? Or do I seek to please Man? For if I yet pleased Man, I should not be the Servant of Christ. The other is, I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. When these Texts fall out, then shall these Things Contradict one another.
ERRATA.
Pag. 2. l. 21. for quas tenus, read quatenùs. p. 11. l. 3. for it self r. it self. p. 13. l. 21. for fo, r. for p. 28. l. 4. for defined, r. defined. p. 29. l. 1. for I, r. If. l. 10. r. from the highest. p. 37. l. 8. for Supremacy, r. Supreme. p. 73: l. 15. for eus, r. eos. p. 77. l. 9. r. in the Power. p. 79. l. 29. for to, r. too. p. 112. l. 17. for he, r. the. p. 115. l. ult. r. says yet a greater Author. p. 127. l. 20. r. to the Orthodox. p. 136. l. 18. r. that Liberty which. p. 140. l. 18. for eay, r. lay. p. 128. l. 17. for me then, r. them. Note; that from p. 160. to p. 169. are false numbred, and p. 168. as it should be, l. 4. for finito, r. finito.
P. 125. l. 22. Haec Verba Desiderantur.
This is the Rule, and the Explication, which I humbly lay down for us to go by, in our obedience to Humane Impositions.