id	author	title	date	pages	extension	mime	words	sentence	flesch	summary	cache	txt
A30561	Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.	A visitation and presentation of love unto the King, and those call'd Royallists	1660.0		.xml	application/xml	16618	167	0	We do believe he may and ought justly , and with most safety to himself , and happiness to the Kingdoms , Tollerate and Allow free LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in all the Matters of Faith and Worship towards God ; for LIBERTY in exercise of CONSCIENCE , in the Matters of Gods Kingdom , is a very precious thing to the Lord , and very dear in his sight , and he is tender of it ; and I do stedfastly believe , he will not bless the Rulers of this Nation , that shall deny ( to the People of this Nation ) and oppose LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in the exercise of Faith and Worship towards God ; for I do know it is not given of God to any Earthly King or Ruler whatsoever , to exercise Lordship over the Consciences of People in the Matters of Faith and Worship , and the things pertaining to Gods Kingdom ; for Kings and Rulers , are but to Rule over men in a Nation , in the Matters between one man and another , in outward things and worldly affairs ; and therein only men ought to Rule in Equity over a Nation , or City , or Country ; and Magistracy in this state , and for such an end is Gods Ordinance appointed of him , for the preserving of Peace and good order among men in outward things ; and it is a priviledge of the Crown of Christs Spiritual Kingdom , to be Lord and Ruler over and in mens Consciences , in Faith and Worship , and all the Matters of his Kingdom , even as and according to his pleasure , and as his Spirit leads and guids ; for , and if any man shall assume to prescribe God a way how he must be Worshipped , and shall limit his Spirit from this , or to the other way of Religion , and think to be Lord in mens Consciences in religious Matters , such are but Usurpers , and are not well-pleasing to the Lord ( in such their way and Government ) if they oppress mens Consciences , by limiting from , or compelling to any such way of Worship or kind of Religion ; neither are they Ordained to Rule among men for that end , not to be King and Iudge , and Law giver in Heavenly and Spiritual Matters ; and this ought not CHARLES ( the King ) to do : but and if he do it , and will not let Christ alone be the Head over his Church , it cannot be with safety to himself , nor happiness to the Kingdoms , nor justly in the sight of God , but it will work contrary effects : And whether this Rebuke and Reproof that you have had in this measure of Suffering that hath been upon you , was not in some measure Iust as from the Lord ; that you might be humbled before him ; though it is by me acknowledged that your Enemies ( these I mean ) who are now cast out before you ; brought great guilt upon themselves , in executing Wrath upon you , in that , and because they proceeded further , and into more Bitterness , and Cruelty towards you , then they had either Commission or Authority from God ; But whether there was not a Iustice as from the Lord in that which partly befel you ? And was not his hand many times against you in Battel , though Number nor Valour was not wanting on your part , yet are not you sensible how by a Secret hand you were often Defeated , and Victory given to your Enemies , though the less in Number ? And were not these things in the Iustice of the Lords Hand ? Whether do you not believe it , and acknowledge it ? Quer. 5. Whether or no you do intend any Reformation from OLD Oppressions ? Or whether you intend to tread in the very steps and to walk in the very path in every Particular of Government , as it stood & was carryed on in the beginning of CHARLES the First his dayes ? And whether you ought not in the sight of God and before him , to consider how to relieve the Oppressed , and break off all Cruel Bonds of Injustice , & how a Government may be set up , which may be answerable to the Lord , & not unto your own and other Corrupted mens ends ? but if you shall do so , Whether do you Answer the End or Deny the End , wherefore the Lord hath thus dealt with you , in giving of you this Day unexpected , and contrary to all your Enemies ? And whether do you not believe , that God hath set you between good and evil , between Right and Wrong , between doing of his Will and the Will of the Devil , in the doing and fullfilling one or the other by you , whether doth not Depend Happiness and Blessedness upon you ; or the Woe and the Curse , your Standing or your Fall , your Renown or your Dishonour perpetually ? Quer. 6. Whether or no you do not believe in your Consciences , that the Prosperity , and Continuance , and Happiness of this your Government to your selves , the King , and Kingdomes ; or the Unhappiness , Overthrow , Misery , and Confusion of the Government it self , the King and these Nations , doth not stand and wholly depend upon the Government and Authority , as it proceedeth in Iustice , Righteousness and Equity , or as it is , and proceedeth contrary , and is Injustice , Oppression , and Unrighteousness ? And if therein it stand , whether do you believe in your Consciences that God shall Bless it , and Prosper it ; or he shall Destroy it , and Confound it ? for is not the hand of the Lord Stretched forth in Mercy , or in Iudgment accordingly as men walketh in his Fear , or without his Fear ? And whether if your CAUSE be Iust in it self , yet if-you walk in Unrighteousness , and Ungodliness , and Oppression , and Cruelty , Whether may not you thereby destroy your Cause and Loose it , and provoke the Lord to anger against you , and your Cause , to Confound you , and Destroy you ? And whether you do seriously Consider of this ? And is it not your Duty so to do ? And ought you not to endeavour to stop this Flood of Wickedness that is broken out ? which if it it be not stopped may provoke God against you , to overthrow your proceedings . Quer. 7. What is the very End of Rule and Government outward in this World ? And for what Cause did God at the first ordain it ? whether upon this , or not , really consider ; Was it not that Evil Doers might be Punished ; And them that did well , might be Praised ? And was not the outward Law added because of Transgrssion , and to Punish Transgressors ; But for the Preserving of the Peaceable and Meek , who walked in the Law of God ; and when the People had forgotten God , and his Law in their hearts , and his Power that executed Iudgment and Meroy ; Was it not then that the Law outward was added , and committed into the Hands of Men to execute upon such as regarded not the Law of God in their hearts ? And is not this the very End of Rule and Government , and Magistracy , at this very day ? Whether ought it to be extended further than only over and concerning the Affairs of the outward Man , to keep that in good order , not to be a Load and Burthen , and Vexation , and Bondage upon a Nation and People ; but to Suppress that which would Load and Burthen , and Oppress the Creation and People , that all men may be preserved in their just Right , and not Vex and Oppress one anothers Persons and Estates ? And if your Government be not from this Ground and for this very End , shall it ever be blessed and happy , either to the Governors or Governed ? Quer. 8. What do you believe of , and concerning LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE , in all Matters appertaining to the Kingdome of God ? Whether ought not you to give that LIBERTY in your Government , that every man and all sorts of People may believe in God , and Worship God according as he or they shall suppose and be perswaded in his or their Consciences ; provided still , that he and they annoy not , or Oppress his or their neighbors Person or Estate ? for if he or they do that , then he and they go out of the true Faith , and breaks the Law of God ; and the outward Law is to take hold of him and them : But whether it is not a just Right , and may justly be allowed from you , to all the People of this Nation , to live under what Ministry , and under what Worship , and to go to what Assemblies , as they shall suppose or be perswaded in their Consciences is the Best and Rightest ? And whether or no it be not GODS Proper Right alone to be Ruler and Lord over mens Consciences , and that he alone should Prescribe , Instruct , and Teach Faith , Worship , and Duty , in all things in the matters of his own Kingdome ? And whether God hath committed that Power and Authority , ever since the dayes of Christ , to any Emperor , King , or other Ruler whatsoever , to be Lord , and to exercise Lordship , in , and over mens Consciences in the matters appertaining to Gods Kingdome ? And whether it is not Gods only and alone Peculiar Priviledge to be Lord there ; and not any man to impose one upon another in Spiritual Matters ? And whether you your selves would be Imposed upon in such case ? ( that is ) Whether you would have such a Church-Government and Ministry , Imposed upon you , upon such or such a Penalty , which you Know , or Believe , or Suppose is not Right , nor according to God , nor Suiting with your own Consciences ? And then how can you with good Conscience in the sight of God , Impose upon others , whenas your selves would not be Imposed upon in such a Case ? Quer. 9. Whether or no , if that you cause any to Suffer Loss , or be Afflicted in Person , or Estate , for and because of their Conscience sake ( that is ) because they are of such a Faith , and of such a Worship , and of such a Principle in Religious matters , though different from others and from you ; yet if they walk Honestly , and Soberly , and Peaceably as men , and not Plotting and Contriving any Mischief in the Nation : I say , if you Cause any Such to Suffer upon that account , while you can charge nothing against them , but matters of Faith and Iudgment , and Opinion in Spiritual things ; Again I say , Whether or no such Suffering is not absolute Persecution , ( and Innocent on his or their part that so Suffereth any Injustice , Cruelty , Tyranny , and Oppression ) on your part that doth Inflict ? And will not the Lord require it of you , if you bring Innocent blood , and Cruel Sufferings upon your selves ? And is not that Innocent blood which is Spilt , and Unjust , and Cruel Sufferings which is Inflicted upon a man or a People , for his and their Conscience , and Religions-sake , when no matter of wrong or evil dealing amongst men , And in that Relation , is , or can be Charged upon them ? And whether do you not believe , that God will Avenge such a Suffering , which is for Conscience sake , upon the Heads of the Causers and Inflictors of it in his Day and Season ? Quer. 10.	cache/A30561.xml	txt/A30561.txt