Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n
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A52954
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A new plea for the Parliament and the reserved man resolved from the serious consideration of the state of controversie betweene the King and the Parliament : together with severall answeres to some common objections about this subject : as also advice to those who are yet unsettled in their thoughts hereabout / by a Wel-willer to King and Parliament.
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Wel-willer to King and Parliament.
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1643
(1643)
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Wing N704A; ESTC R41051
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19,162
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17
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A NEW PLEA FOR THE PARLIAMENT AND THE Reserved MAN resolved From the serious consideration of the state of Controversie betweene the KING and the PARLIAMENT Together with Severall Answeres to some common Objections about this SUBIECT As also Advice to those who are yet unsettled in their thoughts hereabout By a Wel-willer to KING and PARLIAMENT AS Zeale without Knowledge argues the weaknesse of the Head so doth Knowledge without Zeale the rottennesse of the Heart the lightnesse of the Head and the unfoundnesse of the Heart are the two Epidemicall Diseases of this Kingdome Ignorance and Hypocrisie as they are the greatest Enemies to Truth and Piety so are they the chiefe causes of the Kingdomes misery all men would sceme to be what few men are in truth but though Dissemblers are great in number yet are the upright stronger in power there is nothing that hath more pretended friends and reall enemies then Peace and Truth though the Heart of the wicked hateth the Power yet the conviction of their Head would faine palliate their wickednesse with the Forme of Godlinesse all would weare RELIGIONS Livery but few will observe Religions Lawes if Picty be good in profession it is better in practice but the profession commands almost every man and the practice scarce any at all of the things of this World men had rather have the substance then the shadow but of the things of Heaven the shadow gives generally better content then the substance the forme rather then the power of Godlines every man by profession will make Christ a King but by practice crowns him with Thornes the Gospel and the Kingdome have few Enemies in shew but fewer Friends in truth The whole Kingdom is divided into two parts both professing contention for one common Cause every man hath his Sword in his hand and would fight for God and the Kingdom but knowes not where to rank himselfe Law and Religion the Kingdome and Gospell are the mutuall pleas of each party who but a villaine will fight against his King who but a Divell will fight against his GOD who but a Rebell will strike at his King who but a Rascall will strike at his Country A good King is the breath of our nostrilts the God of goodnesse the life of our soules our Kingdom is divided so saith King and Parliament it cannot long so stand so faith God and Reason our Kingdom is in danger so saith King and Parliament we must not sit still so saith Law and Conscience I would defend both and offend neither but if I now sit still I am not a friend to either here are two Armies each against other to which to joyne my selfe I know not whether I am called to help by the one and the other and therefore I must not now be a Newter they both prefesse they fight for to preserve the same Religion the same Law I must not judge the heart what shall I doe 1. For resolution of this doubt let us consider these 2 parts First what is this 1. Law 2. Religion 2. How may I most probably judge which party is cordiall with whom I ought to joyne my selfe First by Law as is controverted is meant all those former Acts of Parliament never yet reversed together with the Priviledges of Parliament the fountain and life of Law the chiefest whereof is to reverse repeale ordaine and enact what Lawes and Statutes old and new they shall think fit for the present benefit and welfare of King and Kingdome This is the Law now in controversie viz. The Statute Law of the Land the Power and Priviledge of Parliament which is the great Inheritance of the Kingdom and that which doth distinguish us from slaves and vassalls Secondly by Religion is meant the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of God as they have and shall finde it agreeable to the word of God This is that Religion which they both say they fight for God and the Kingdome is this the Cause Religion and Law is this the Quarrell Piety and Humanity grace and iugenuity will not admit of an unworthy newtrality I will fight for God for I haa rather die a believing Christian then live an Atheist or Papist I will fight for my Country for I had rather die a free-man then live a slave or vassall but if both Parties fight in the behalfe of the same Cause whence is the rise of the Quarrell The Parliament affirmes their Adversaries to be a Malignant Party which often apart and now together do strongly oppose the life and power of Religion and Lawes and this is affirmed by the adverse Party against the Parliament Both affirm the same thing I am where I was I cannot Iudge the heart what shall I doe For further direction herein consider the second Part and that is How may I judge which Party is cordiall with whom I ought to jonee For Answer hereunto consider two things First who and what are the Parties on each side Secondly what are their practises in the managing of their Quarrel First for the Parties on each side On the one side we have a lawfull freechosen Parliament consisting of the King Lords and Commons of the Land we will not understand the King as the head of a Faction we have moreover all knowne godly learned Ministers of the Kingdome together with all godly conscieneious People both Gentry and Commons of all sorts ranks and conditions whatsoever 2. On the other side we have most of the Papists of the Kingdom many wherof are chiefe Commanders together with the Popish partie of Lords Gentry and Commons with all the Praelaticall Faction of Bishops with their Dependants all Popish superstitious idle deboist scandalous Ministers Priests and Cathedrall finging-fellowes in the Land with divers proclaimed Traitors once fled from the Justice of the Parliament and now in great power and Office in their Forces as also some lately in Rebellion in Ireland together with the quondam grinding oppressing Judges Pattentees all Delinquents never Parliament proofe with many ignorant silly and not a few curling swearing banning blaspheming wretches of all qualities from the Kings Court to the Countrey Cart. These are the Parties on each side Are these the Parties Malignity in the one party is as hard to be believed as Sincerity in the other that the one party should intent mischiefe and the other preservation to Law and Religion it is hard to say which is the greatest wonder that there should such a generall Apostacy from Religion and morality to basenesse and impiety as is implied in the Parliaments party was never knowne no not in the dayes of Julian and such a generall conversion from prophannesse and malignity to grace and ingennity as is implied in the second party was never knowne no not in the dates of Peter that such an Apostacy of the one party and such a conversion of the other should at once meet together seemes as strange as if the Inhabitants of Heaven and Hell should
incursions which have been made upon the Law by illegall taxations and oppressions of the Subjects by finding out and removing the roots springs and causes thereof as the Star chamber high Commission c. by discovering and bringing to condignâ— punishment the underminers of Law whereof there have been Nobles Bishops Lawyers Judges Pattentees Delinquents of all ranks some wherof have fled away beyond Seas and others into divers parts of this Kingdom have indeavoured to raise up forces and strength to over-aw and overthrow this present Parliament and have brought tâ—is designe to great perfection all which is known and evident in the sight of all men For the suppressing of which power and the further prevention of their increase by forreigne force the Parliament hath endeavoured the best way they can by securing the Ships and Sea-Ports of the Kingdome in the hands of a faithfull and trusty Admirall and other Officers by disarming knowne Papists and Malignants interested and active in the Quarrell against them and by raising up an Army for the suppressing of that Malignant party raised up for the ruine of Religion and Lawes of the Kingdome Thus the one Party hath managed their Controversie against their Adversary Secondly the other Party hath prosecuted the purity of Religion before the Parliament in point of Doctrine by advancing and encouraging Arminian and Popish fellowes and Tenets throughout the Kingdome as all men know Secondly in point of worship by introducing and maintaining many foolish superstitious and ridiculous Ceremonies and Innovations as is likewise hid from no man and their method since they have gotten into an Army in the prosecuting the purity of Religion is by cursing banning blaspheming swearing God sinke me God dam me the Divel ram me c. with such like horrid oathes as I tremble to think of together with mocking jeering scoffing and deriding at those who make conscience of their wayes calling them Puritans Round-heads Schismaticks Separatists Brownists Sectaries c. the very name of an honest man that will not sweare lye and prophane the Lords day is ground enough for their cruell and inhumane dealings against them where ever they come Thus they prosecute the purity of Religion 2. They have endeavoured to maintaine the life and power of the Law Liberty of the Subject and Priviledge of Parliament before the Parliament by all kind of injury against Law Subjects and Parliaments as all men know and sithence the Parliament by disarming the Countries under the pretence of a most illegall Commission of Array which none of the Lawyers and Judges of the Kingdome dare avouch but wee must believe the Kings word for it though he say he is no Lawyer well the Country 's disarm'd and their Arms put into the hands of Papists and Malignants now in the Army hereby they are disinabled to defend themselves but now must quietly suffer themselves to be plunder'd rob'd and undone the Countreys assest to pay so much now and so much then and an Army on foot to compell them to pay it as absolute tyrranny as any is in Turkey and a tast of the Law of the Land and Liberty of the Subject which we are like to have hereafter if this Partie get head Againe they having by wicked Counsell gotten the King from his Parliament and so sheltring themselves under him have prevailed with him without the least pretended cause to put honest and blamelesse well affected Justices of Peace out of the Commission throughout the Kingdom a sad Omen of the Subjects good to any discerning eye and put in known Malignants in their roome to prick men for Sheriffes throughout the Kingdome knowne likewise to be Malignants c. and for the Priviledges of Parliament they maintaine these by declaring and publishing both Houses guilty of high treason and the Earle of Essex General of the Forces raised for the defence of King Parliament and Kingdome a Traitor and all his assistants comprehending thereby the Parliament to be Rebels and Traitors by prevailing with the King to cast off his great Councell the Parliament in all matters of Church and State to keep from the judicature of the Parliament known Traitors and Delinquents accused by the Parliament the Priviledges of the Parliament have been maintained by abusing beating and scorning messengers sent from the Parliament by calling those that stand for the good of the Kingdome and Parliament Rogues Parliament dogs c. in all these things and in many more of this nature doubtlesse the Law of the Land the Liberty of the Subject the Priviledges of Parliament are aim'd at and endeavoured with all sincerity and truth of heart and let any man of the meanest capacity judge the contrary Thus wee see how each Party hath discovered and pursueth their Enemy Is this the cause are these the Parties are these their practises what but stupidity can now be deceived Will Traitors fight for justice Delinquents for the Law the thiefe for the halter Papists for purity of Religion How is the World turn'd upside downe is Religion preserved by transgression Piety by iniquity Purity by Popery then is the Divell become a convert Is the law maintained by illegality the Subject by oppession the Parliament by destruction then are the Turkes as free as the English Shall I now question which side is right then let me question my judgement and reason I will fight for my God who gave me my being I will fight for my Countrey who gave me my breeding God and my Countrey gave what I have God and my Countrey shall have what they gave Religion binds me unto God Duty to my King Nature to my Countrey If the King calls me to fight against and the Parliament for God and my Countrey I cannot obey my King I dare not deny the Parliament That this is our case is as cleare as the Sun let us hears what Objections can say to the contrary Objections are some in reference to the King some in reference to the Parliament first in reference to the King Object 1 First it is objected that the King hath made many Protestations strong asseverations fearefull imprecations against him and his if ever he intends the least wrong but all good both to Religion Law and Parliament and shall we not believe the King Answ First the Law of God Nature and Nations doth not binde mee to believe any thing against experience though affirmed by a King and upon no better ground than his bare affirmation Secondly we question not the Kings intent against God and the Kingdome but we know that the Army raised up by his Authority is for the subversion both of Religion and Lawes and that those that are now the Kings Counsellours have alwayes and now doe endeavour the rooting up of both Thirdly the King may be deceived by false Prophets and wicked Lawyers who may suggest this to be Religion and that to be Law which is nothing but Popery and illegality and so he may protest and that from his