A77374:146
The wounded conscience cured, the weak one strengthened, [sic] and the doubting satisfied By…The vvounded conscience cured, the weak one strengthned, [sic] and the doubting satisfied By…
The wounded conscience cured, the weak one strengthened, [sic] and the doubting satisfied By way of answer to Doctor Fearne. Where the main point is rightly stated, and objections throughly answered for the good of those who are willing not to be deceived. By William Bridge, preacher of Gods Word. It is ordered this 30. day of January, 1642. by the committee of the House of Commons in Parliament, concerning printing, that this answer to Dr. Fearne's book be printed. John White. The second edition, corrected and amended. Whereunto are added three sermons of the same author; 1. Of courage, preached to the volunteers. 2. Of stoppage in Gods mercies to England, with their [sic] remedies. 3. A preparation for suffering in these plundering times.The vvounded conscience cured, the weak one strengthned, [sic] and the doubting satisfied By way of answer to Doctor Fearne. Where the main point is rightly stated, and objections throughly answered for the good of those who are willing not to be deceived. By William Bridge, preacher of Gods Word. It is ordered this 30. day of January, 1642. by the committee of the House of Commons in Parliament, concerning printing, that this answer to Dr. Fearnes book be printed. John White. The second edition, correced and amended. Whereunto are added three sermons of the same author; 1. Of courage, preached to the voluntiers. 2. Of stoppage in Gods mercies to England, with their [sic] remedies. 3. A preparation for suffering in these plundering times.
London: printed for Benjamin Allen, 1643
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Then the Doctor saith, How shall the Conscience be satisfied that this their argument grounded upon election, and the derivation of power from the people; can have place in this Kingdom, when as the Crown not only descends by inheritance, but also hath so often been settled by conquest, in the lines of Saxons, Danes and Normans.
Then the Doctor saith, How shall the Conscience be sati•fied that this their argument grounded upon election, and the derivation of power from the people; can have place in this Kingdome, when as the Crowne not onely descends by inheritance, but also hath so often been setled by conquest, in the lines of Saxons, Danes and Normans.
Answ. First, how can the Conscience be satisfied in that which the Dr. writes in this his book, where he acknowledgeth in this Section that it is probable indeed that Kings at the first were by choice here as else where? And in Section 5. saith, that the forms of several governments (whereof Princedom is one) are from the invention of man, and so by derivation from man.
Answ. First, how can the Conscience be •atisfied in that which the Dr. writes in this his booke, where he acknowledgeth in this Section that it is probable indeed that Kings at the first were by choise here as else where? And in Section 5. saith, that the forms of severall governments (whereof Princedome is one) are from the invention of man, and so by derivation from man.
2. The Drs. great design I perceive by his frequent touching this matter is to make our King a King by conquest; for in Sect. 3. He saith Gods Vice-gerents here on earth came into their Office either by immediate designation, the election of the people, succession and inheritance, or by conquest; now he cannot say that our King came in by immediate designation, & he doth not say that our Princes lay claim to the Crown by virtue of their election, & if by inheritance, then by the right of an election or by conquest; for by mere inheritance a man hath no more, then what those first had whom he doth succeed; Inheritance being but the continuation of the first right upon the children, the right of election he doth disclaim, and of derivation of power from the people, therefore the right that he makes our Prince to have to the Crown is only the right of a Conquest; then if any mans sword be longer or stronger then his, he may quickly have as much right to the Crown as the King; which opinion of the Drs. for my own part I must abhor from, what danger will it not expose our dread Sovereign to? Did not Athaliah reign as a Conqueress six years? And who knows not that she was lawfully thrust from the Throne again by a stronger hand then her own? Mere conquest being nothing else but an unjust usurpation: and if the Conqueror rule the whole Kingdom, and keep them under by conquest only, why may not the subject rise and take up arms to deliver themselves from that slavery? Thus doth the Doctor open the door to greater resistance then those that he disputes against.