Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A79754
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A remonstrance and declaration of the Generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland, concerning present and imminent dangers, and concerning duties relating thereto.
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Church of Scotland. General Assembly.
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1649
(1649)
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Wing C4252; Thomason E569_6; ESTC R206279
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12,468
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16
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those Laws timously upon these that oppresse them that they may find real redresse of their just grievances and complaints and be encouraged to bear those burthens which cannot be avoided As the Parliament have begun so we hope they will continue to purge out all these from trust that are not of known integrity and affection to the cause of God and of a blameless and Christian conversation and that they and the Officers of the Army in their respective places will seriously minde and speedily and resolutely goe about the removing from the Army all malignant and scandalous persons and also the removing of Sectaries when any shall be found therein that they may give reall evidence that they did not deal deceitfully with God in the day that they engaged themselves thereto Albeit we hope and pray that those who bear charge in our Army will from the remembrance of the Lords goodness to them and the honour that he hath put upon them endevour to carry themselves faithfully and straightly yet it cannot be unseasonable to warm them to â—â—ke heed of tentations and to beware of snares that they be not drawn to indifferency or neutrality in the cause of God much lesse into connivance at or compliance with the courses and designes of malignants or Sectaries but to stick closely by the same and to be zealous against all the enemies and adversaries thereof and it concerns Souldiers to be content with their wages and to doe violence to no man but as they are called unto the defence of the cause and people of God so to behave themselves in such a blameless and Christian a way that their carriage may be a testimony to his cause and a comfort to his people so shall our Armies prosper and the Lord shall goe out with them But most of all it concerns the Ministers of the Gospel whom God hath called to give warning to his people to look to their duty It is undeniably true that may of the evils wherewith this Kirk and Kingdom hath been afflicted in our age have come to passe because of the negligence of some and corruptions of others of the Ministry whilst some fell asleep and were careless and others were covetous and ambitious the evil man brought in Prelacy and the Ceremonies and hah facre promoted the Service Book and the Book of Cannon and the course of backsliding and revolting was carried on untill it pleased God to stirre up the spirits of these few who had stood in the gap to oppose and resist the same and to begin the work of Reformation in the Land since which time the silence of some Ministers and complyance of others hath had great influence up on the backsliding of many amongst the people who upon the discovery of the evill of their way complain that they got not warning or that if they were warned by some others held their peace or did justifie them in the course of their back-sliding We can look upon such Ministers no otherwise then upon those that are guilty of the blood of the Lords people and with whom the Lord will reckon for all the breach of Covenant and defection that hath been in the Land The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts but such have departed out of the way and have caused many to stumble at the Law therefore hath the Lord made them contemptible and base before all the people according as they have not kept his wayes but have been partial in his Law because they have lost their savour he hath cast out many of them as unsavoury salt but such as have been faithfull as he hath preserved them from the violence and fury of men so hath he verified his word in their mouths both against his enemies and concerning his people and his work and makes them see though not all their desires concerning the Gospel and the work of God in the Land yet very much of the fruit of their labour by preserving the doctrine and all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ in their parity and adding in some measure thereto the power and life thereof We do therefore charge all the Ministers of the Land before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom as in every thing to be ensamples of a good conversation and to walk without offence that the Ministry be not blamed so to take heed unto the Flock over which the holy Ghost hath 〈◊〉 them ever-seers to declare unto them all the counsell of God and to give them timous warning concerning every danger and duty and to hold forth unto them the solid grounds of reall comforlation by which they may be encouraged and comforted in all their tryals and afflictions that they may be free of the blood of all men and have this as a ground of rejoycing even the testimony of their consciences that in simplicity and godly pureness not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God they have had their conversation in the world and have exhorted and comforted and charged every one committed unto them as a Father doth his children especially Ministers ought to be carefull to be much in discovering the temptations and pressing the duties of the times that those who are under their charge may know what to avoyd and what to imbrace and pursue If all the Watchmen in the Land shall give warning and blow the Trumpet at once it shall not be easie for enemies to prey upon the people of God We know no cause why any whom God hath called to preach the Gospel should be affraid to speak boldly in the Name of the Lord since God hath given so manifest a testimony of hiâ— care and protection in preserving them these yeers past who have striven to be faithfull to him who hath called them from all the fury and malice of the haters of the work of God and of the Kingdom of his Son Jesus Christ who hath promised to be with his servants unto the end of the world Albeit the Land be involved in many difficulties and compassed about with great and imminent dangers yet there is hope and ground of consolation concerning this thing the Lord is in the midst of us and we are called by his name our ears hear the joyfull sound of the Gospel and our eyes see our Teachers We behold the arm of the Lord stretched out daily in working salvation for his people and answering their desires upon their enemies by terrible things in righteousness although we be but few in number yet the Lord of Hosts is with us and 〈◊〉 the power of his strength we shall be able to prevail although our Land be filled with sin yet we have not been forsaken of the Lord our God but he hath always had compassion upon us and delivered us in all our distresse although some of understanding fall it is but to try and to purge and to make white even to the end because it is yet for a time appointed although many cleave to us by flatteries yet there be a remnant who keep their integrity and the Lord shall do good to these that be good but such as turn aside to crooked ways shall be led forth with the workers of iniquity The Lords people in England and Ireland who adhere to the Cause and Covenant may be perplexed but shall not despair they may be persecuted but shall not be forsaken they may be cast down but shall not be destroyed and although uniformity and the work of Reformation in these lands seem not only to be retarded but almost pluckt up by the roots and the foundations thereof razed yet the seed which the Lord hath sown there shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this A. Ker. FINIS
and Authority in the defence and preservation of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms But if his Majesty or any having or pretending power and commission from him shall invade this Kingdom upon pretext of establishing him in the exercise of his Royal Power as it will be an high provocatâ—on against God to be accessory or assisting thereto so wâ—ll it be a necessary duty to resist and oppose the same We know that many are so forgetful of the Oaâ—h of God and ignorant and careless of the Interest of Jesus Christ and the Gospel and doth so little tender that which concerns his Kingdom and the Priviledges thereof and doth so much dote upon absolute and Arbitrary Government for gaining their own ends and so much malign the Instruments of the work of Reformation that they would admit his Majesty to the exercise of his Royal Power upon any terms whatsoever though with never so much prejudice to Religion and the Liberties of these Kingdoms would think it quarrel enough to make War upon all those who for conscience sake cannot condescend thereto but we desire all these who fear the Lord and mind to keep their Covenant impartially to consider these things which follows First That as Magistrates and their power is ordained of GOD so are they in the exercise thereof not to walk according to their own will but according to the Law of Equity and Righteousness as being the Ministers of of God for the safety of his People Therefore a boundlesse and illimited power is to be acknowledged in no King nor Magistrate neither is our King to be admitted to the exercise of his power as long as he refuses to walk in the Administration of the same according to this rule and the established Laws of the kingdom that his Subjects may live under him a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty 2. There is a mutuall obligation and stipulation betwixt the King and his People as both of them are tyed to God so each of them are tyed one to another for the performance of mutuall and reciprocal duties according to this it is statute and ordained in the eighth Act of the first Parliament of King James the sixth That all Kings Princes or Magistrates whatsomever holding their place which hereafter shall happen in any time to Reign and bear rule over this Realm at the time of their Coronation and receit of their Princely Authority make their faithfull promise by Oath in the presence of the eternall God that during the whole course of their lives they shall serve the eternal God to the utmost of their power according as he hath required in his most holy Word contained in the old new Testament and according to the same Word shall maintain the true Religion of Christ Iesus the preaching of his most holy Word and due and right Administration of his Sacraments now received and preached within this Realm and shall abolish and gainstand all false Religion contrary to the same and shall rule the people committed to their charge according to the will and command of God revealed in his Word and according to the lovable Laws and constitutions received within this Realm and shall procure to the utmost of their power to the Kirk of God and whole Christian People true and perfect peace in all time coming and that Justice and Equity be kept to all creatures without exception which Oath was sworn first by King Iames the 6 and afterwards by King Charles at his coronation and is inserted in our National Covenant which was approven by the King who lately reigned As long therefore as his Majesty who now reigns refuses to hearken to the just and necessary desires of State and Kirk propounded to his Majesty for the security of Religion and safety of his People and to engage and oblige himself for the performance of his duty to his people It is consonant to Scripture and Reason and the Laws of the kingdom that they should refuse to admit him to the exercise of his Government untill he give satisfaction in these things 3. In the League and Covenant which hath been so solemnly sworn and renewed by this kingdom the duty of defending and preserving the Kings Majesties Person and Authority is joyned with and subordinate unto the duty of preserving and defending the true Religion and Liberties of the kingdoms And therefore his Majesty standing in opposition to the just and necessary publick desires concerning Religion and Liberties it were a manifest breach of covenant and a preferring of the Kings interest to the interest of Jesus Christ to bring him to the exercise of his Royall power which he walking in a contrary way and being compassed about with Malignant counsels cannot but imploy unto the prejudice and ruin of both 4. Was not an arbitrary Government and unlimited power the fountain of most of all the corruptions both in Kirk and State And was it not for restraint of this and for their own just defence against Tyranny and unjust Violence which ordinarily is the fruit and effect of such a power that the Lords people did joyn in covenant and have been at the expence of so much blood pains and treasure these yeers past And if his Majesty should be admitted to the exercise of his Government before satisfaction given were it not to put in his hand that arbitrary power which we have upon just and necessary grounds been so long withstanding and so to abandon our former principles and betray out Cause 5. The King being averse from the work of Reformation and the Instruments thereof and compassed about with Malignant and disaffected men whom he hearkens unto as his most faithfull Counsellers and looks upon as his best and most Loyall Subjects We leave to all indifferent men to judge whether his Majesty being admitted to the exercise of his power before satisfaction given would not by such counsels endeavour an overturning of the things which God hath wrought amongst us and labour to draw publick administrations concerning Religion and the Liberties of the Subject unto that course and channel in which they did run under Prelacy and before the work of Reformation Which we have the more cause to fear because his Royall Father did so often declare that he conceived himself bound to imploy all the power that God should put in his hands to the utmost for these ends and that he adheres as yet to his Fathers principles and walks in his way and hath made a peace with the Irish Rebels by which is granted unto them the full liberty of Popery 6. It is no strange nor new thing for Kingdoms to preserve Religion and themselves from ruine by putting restraint upon the exercise of the power and Government of those who have refused to grant those things that were necessary for the good of Religion and the Peoples safety there have been many Precedents of it in this and other Nations of old and of late