Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
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A50950
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A reply to the Answer (printed by His Majesties command at Oxford) to a printed booke intituled Observations upon some of His Maiesties late answers and expresses by J.M.
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J. M.; Milton, John, 1608-1674.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing M2176; ESTC R13080
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91,036
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50
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future thus abuse his judgement and discretion Lâ—…t me give him this caution when his heart shall suggest any ill of so great and reverend a counsell whose actions ought to awe him to a good conceipt of them to consider well the grounds and reasons of his mistrust and when he hath done this ponder on the great disproportion and inequality that there is betwixt so great a power and himself and this will either ingage him to a better beleife or force him to silence And let thâ—… people take this Caveat that the subtile prâ—…ssing and urging of the ill examples of other men ought not though it be most maliciously indeavoured to perswade us to a beleife of the like corruptions in the Parliament The things taken from the King at Hull were armes which are of more danger than other kind of Chattells By the same law all that part of the Kingdome which is not confided in may be disarmed Good reason too if in a publique 〈◊〉 they shall appeare in opposition to them who indeavour nothing but the publique fafety and preservation Nay why may not their money be taken too upon probable feare they may buy armes with it If that probability can be evidenced by a sufficient proofe I see no reason any man should be permitted to buy a sword to helpe to cut his owne throat nay more to hasten the ruine of the Common-Wealth The Subjâ—…ct is in a miserable condition that is liable to be undone as often as they please to be fearefull Wee should be in a farre worse condition if we should not feare when we have just cause and prevent the losing of the whole by a wise parting with some small and inconsiderate portion Let Brainford evidence this truth I but he saith it is so farre from excusing it aggravates the fact to take away the Kings armes that is the meanes whereby he may seize whatever else belongs unto his Majesty It doth much extenuate the fact to seize those things which would be more immediate Agents or instruments in his Majesties and the publique ruine I but then againe hee sayes that the law of the land hath onely intrusted the Prince with armes so that the Subject ought not to he arrayed trayned and mustered but by his Commission He sayes very much and of great consequence had it beene at another time But as circumstances may vary a case so I hope the Author will learne to distinguish betwixt a case in neceâ—…ity and one out of necessity Betweene the Kings adhering to the advise of his great Counsell the Parliament and his deserting of them and betweene the due execution of his trust and the breach of it These layed together will much vary the case and justifie the Parliament in their arraying trayning and mustering without his Majesties Commission But some determination must be supreame and therefore either the Kings power and trust must be guided by the directions of the Parliament or else the Parliament and all other Courts must be overruled by the Kings meere direction No necessity of either for in cases of this nature which is confessed to be extraordinary if the King and Parliament dissent things must be at a stand and the Subject must be obedient to the ordinary law Our Author doubâ—…lesse hath a strong Minerva that could make so subtile a decision of a matter of so great controveâ—…sie But I beleive this concept was as soone penned as it was thought on For what is this but in plaine termes to tell the Parliament hat they might aswell have saved their labour And that if a King seduced by evill counsell shall indeavour the destruction of the publique yet it lyes not in the power of the Parliament any way to oppose or prevent it A sad conclusion if it would hold But then his Majesty maintaining of his negative power puts this case whether if the Papists in Ireland in truth were or by act or accident had made themselves the Major part of both Houses of Parliament there and had pretended the trust which the Parliament here doth from the Kingdome of Ireland thereupon had voted their Religion and liberty to â—…e in danger of extirpation from a Malignant party of Protestants and Puritanes and therefore that they should put themselves into a possure of defence that the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of that Kingdome were to be put into the hands of such persons as they could confide in c. Wheâ—…her he were bound to consent to all such alterations as these men should propose to him and resolve to be for the publique good I shall not need to prove the unlikely hood of their accomplishing their desired ends nor go about maintaine with the Observator that there is as true and intimate an union betwixt England and Ireland as betwixt England and Wales Neither do I thinke if it were so that the two Parliaments would joynâ—… for transacting and concluding upon matters for both states But to the question I shall give this short answere that I do not conceive the King in such case bound to consent to their proposalls For I never did nor shall allow where their conclusions and requâ—…sts are evidently against lâ—…w reason or Religion if that may bâ—… presumed of a Parliament that in such case the Kiâ—…g is bound to yeâ—…ld to their Votes No farre be it from any one thus to judge for that were to make him a â—…yrant though against his will and to be ingaged in his peoples ruine against his conscience But now what use or advantage can be made of this against the casâ—… in question â—…he Parliaments proposalls being not apparently either against law reason or Religion doâ—…h nonplus my understanding to imagine A faction is said to have prevailed upon a Major part by cunning â—…orce absence or accident The Observator argues thus aginst it If by cunning we must suppose the Kings party in Parliament hath lost all their law policy and 〈◊〉 The reason why they are overborne may be this not because they have lesse law but more hoâ—…sty which will not permit them to maintaine a good cause by ill meanes No the reason is evidently this that they have liâ—…le law and 〈◊〉 Honesty which wiâ—…hholds them from promoting the publique safâ—…ty I but how falls it out that after so many reiterated scandalls of pretences and deceivings of the people the Author should now confesse that the cause is good only he adds that there is an ill prosecuting of it which he ought to prove if he expects we should beleive him Certainely he did not read what he had writâ—…en or not understand it or there is some hope now at the last after the venting of his spleâ—…ne that he will prove a convert But I dispaire of convincing him by better reason for he is here in his very next words fallen into a contradiction where he saâ—…es that wee all know in how great stead these Piae
Soveraignty as â—…hey please T is strange that our Author will passe his judgement especially so severe an one upon any thing that he doth not understand because happily it may conclude thus much that his sacred person and his actions ought to be directed and ruled by his great councell the Parâ—… 〈◊〉 it therefore thence be deduced that they may dispose of his Soveraignty at pleasure this is the Authors meaning not ours If the King 〈◊〉 such high 〈◊〉 as subjects it were not lawfull or naturall for him to expoâ—…e his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is it 〈◊〉 for subjects then to doe so What a strange 〈◊〉 is this is it not lawfull for a man by the hazzard of his person to defenâ—… his properâ—…y which cannot be maintained without the defense of his Countrey But this doth no way prove that if the Kings right were as absolute as the subjects that he might expose hâ—…s life and forâ—…une for their defence for no doubt hee that looseth his life when he might have saved it is a man slayer and if the people had beene made for the King not the King for the people what Law could have warranted the hazzarding of his person â—…or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to disprove this conclusion he saith That the people have as great 〈◊〉 gâ—…eater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…or the King and this he makes good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 that I become your Leâ—…ge of life 〈◊〉 gâ—…ds c. as 〈◊〉 by â—…he Proâ—…station and 〈◊〉 of Ligeance which are to the same effect He is no true subject that will not expose 〈◊〉 and all that he hath for the preservation of his King anâ—… Soveraâ—…e we shall ever acknowledge that strong tie and obligation that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us to doe it But yet we must 〈◊〉 that the Kings oath and the Law of the Land which engage the King to protect and defend his Kingdome and people are equalâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Observator had shewen the efficâ—…ent cause of Parliament to wit the people anâ—… he finall cause safety and libertie he descends to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 are aimed at in Parliaments not to be attained to by oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 est of the people might be satisfied â—…nd Kings better counselled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certainly many Kingdomes have enjoyed a most high deâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 Monarchs who knew no Parliaments Thâ—…s possibly may be 〈◊〉 but I â—…ope it shall not 〈◊〉 into the hearts of English Subjects any whit the greater affection to that kind of 〈◊〉 I believe indeede that this is that the Author would faine perswade us to These are the maine grounds of the sad division our Religion and our Parliaments God enable us to maintaiâ—… both for if wee part with either we shake hands and bid adue to all happinesse The Author saith that two â—…her 〈◊〉 might have beene named as assentiall as the former which are to supply his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Subsidies and assent to the abrogation of old Lawes and enacting new The latter I 〈◊〉 agree to be so but I never heard before that the supplying of his Majesties wants by Subsidies was one of the essentiall ends of the calling of Parliament It was accounted formerly the maiâ—… end of calling of a Parliament the ease or Releife of the subject and the granting of Subsidies was then esteemed but as a congratulation or thankfull acknowledgment of the Kings grace and favour towards them in that Parliament and is it now become one of the maine ends I suppose the Author speakes out of a late experience 'T was never happy with England since this Law was broached And wheresoever Kings advance their owne profit or but make it â—…quall with that of the publique the people will never enjoy true happinesse In the Summes of Edward 1. â—…laus 7. in 3. dors We see the first end of Parliaments expressed for he inserts in the writt that whatsoeveâ—… affaire is 〈◊〉 publique concernment ought to receive publique approbation Quod ownes tangit 〈◊〉 omnibus appâ—…obari debet tractari The Author tells us that this must be understood with due caution lest wee reduce our selves to our primirive estate by dissolving the bonds of Government and therefore saith he the policie of all estâ—…tes for the avoydiâ—…g of all confusion hath been to leave the transaction of publique affaires to some certaine number and their suffrages doe in Law binde the rest So saith he in absolute Monarchies what Princes doe is legally the act of all and hee makes the result of all to be this Those things which the Law doth require shall be transacted onely by Parliament the people doe handle and approve of by their Knights and â—…rgesses those things which the law hath intrusted the King with many of which concerne the good of the whoâ—… what bee doth is their act I shall not with our Author dare to confine Parliaments whose power is vaste and incognit as my Lord Cooke speakes And yet I shall not ascribe so unlimited a power unto them as to give them juâ—…isdiction in all cases They themselves who best know their power have in their late Declaration protested against it for they say they have power of jurisdiction of declaring the law in perticular cases before them then not in all cases But who shall bee Judge of those cafes by which they are intituled to jurisdiction can therâ—… be any one a Competent Judge of this but themselves and they having past their judgement who ought or dare to contradict it no reversing of their judgement but by the judgement of a subsequent Parliament why then since none can know their power or if they could they are not competent Judges of it how dare any one goe about to dispute their power or call in question their judgement The desire of the Commons in the Raigne of Edw. 3. was that they might not advise in things de queux ils nount pas cognizance the matter in debate then concerning the setling of intestine commotions guarding the Marches in Scotland and the Seas concludes no more than this that they thought themselves not competent Counsellours in thiâ—… case happily by reason of their unskilfulnesse in that way or for that the King had then more able Counsellors to advise with in that matter which under favour is no renouncing of jurisdiction But to give a more full and satisfactory answer at that time the King complyed with his Parliament and would not be advised by others and then there being no breach of trust there 〈◊〉 the lesse reason for the Parliament to advise or intermeddle with affaires of that nature But if the King had then deserted the Counsell of his Parliament and cleaved to the advise of his young men like Rehoboam certainely then they would not have deserted their power in danger of the Common-wâ—…alth which by their