A77374:148
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.
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.
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 vertue of their election, & if by inheritance, then by the right of an election or by conquest; for by meere 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 Crowne is onely the right of a Conquest; then if any mans sword be longer or stronger then his, hee may quickly have as much right to the Crowne as the King; which opinion of the Drs. for my owne part I must abhor from, what danger will it not expose our dread Soveraign to? Did not Athaliah reigne as a Conqueresse six yeares? And who knowes not that she was lawfully thrust from the Throne againe by a stronger hand then her owne? Meere conquest being nothing else but an unjust usurpation: and if the Conquerour rule the whole Kingdome, and keepe them under by conquest only, why may not the subject rise and take up armes to deiiver themselves from that slavery? Thus doth the Doctor open the door to greater resistance then those that he disputes against.