Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	king_n	parliament_n	sovereign_a	3,527	5	9.3552	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93347	Gods unchangeableness: or Gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. From whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. Wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that Oliver Cromwell is by the providence of God, Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom God hath set over them. Unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. Together with answers to some cheif objections made against the Lord Protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / Therefore written and published for publicke good, by George Smith, Gent.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4036; Thomason E824_4; ESTC R207687	84,417	65

wicked design by which he thought to establish himself became his ruine r See the like by the experiences of our time King James Father to our late King not thankful for Gods mercies to him bringing him from a mean Kingdom to a rich and plentifull Nation flowing with milk and honey grew wanton and like Jeshurn● kicked he came to strong Cities a fat Land houses filled with goods Wells digged Vineyards Olive-yards Fruits c as is expressed by Nehemiah Ch. 9. 25. but he like Israel rebelled against his God and cast his Law behinde his back and persecuted the Prophets and Ministers that testified against him exalting himself and prerogative to make his Son and Family like Nimrod What strange wickednesse did he act in his private chamber and openly gave away the lawful wives of men to others viz. the Lady Rich to the Lord Mount-joy the Countesse of Essex to Carre c. Did he not design to bring the people of this Nation under by laying heavy burdens upon their shoulders What else was Loan-money illegal Fines for Buildings and his fooling of Parliaments endeavouring to make them uselesse and himself a great Monarch preparing for a greater work which his Son was to act which design our late King endeavoured to exalt and in pursuance thereof followed the footsteps of his Father not in personal sins but in publike grievances Like Rehoboam to make one of his fingers heavier then his Fathers loins And like Jeroboam to set up Calves in Bethel and in Dan to ensnare the people to advance prerogative Did not he endeavour by his Prelats or his Prelats by him to bring in a compliance or neer Union between England and Rome and to effect their design they endeavoured to weaken the Nations of able religious men and of Arms why else was Rochel betraied under pretence of releeving it and many able and godly men slaughtered Why else was that mock-voyage to Cadis why else were our honourable Parliaments disgraced called only of necessity for money sake but not suffered to reform any evil nor to put them to any shame which were the Actors of abominable wickednesse but honourable members of Parliamennt for such things were imprisoned where many died others were banisht their houses into remote Countreys Prisoners and Exiles c. And for the advance of prerogative new waies were invented to get money without Parliaments or Law Loan-money Knighthood-money Ship-money Compositions for Cottages Compositions for New Buildings Moneys for Forrest Lands Woods Timber c. Monopolies upon all our necessary commodities Taxes upon Customs and gun-powder ingrossed and kept from the Subject their Arms seized Companies of Souldiers were billeted in most Market-Towns of the Nation and lest that should be too little to effect the Tyrannical design the Duke and his plotrers had provided to have 600 Flanders Horse brought into England with Swisser Riders No man is so silly I think as to ask why all this was done for the reason is plain to every reasonable man Nor was this all for all zealous and godly Ministers were weeded out of every Town and Countrey Bishop Wren can easily name you some scores if not hundreds that he drove from their Livings and Habitations besides them he procured to be imprisoned and banisht Arminianism was advanced and they were made Bishops that defended it Lectures were put down Afternoon Sermons on the Lords Day were forbidden Books were published to give way to prophane the Lords Day by sports and pastimes these Books were commanded to be read in all Churches to ingratiate the multitude and such Ministers as refused to reade these Books were suspended the morality of the Sabbath was denied preached against Sunday called no Sabbath the name Minister was changed to Priest the Table to an Altar on which Basons and Tapers were set there was very little wanting to plain Popery but the name Thus far the design was carried on smoothly Scotland only stood in the way as some rub that must be removed and to that end a Liturgy was sent down to them which they would not swallow Therefore they must be forced an Army to that purpose was prepared The Scots make opposition money grew wanting to manage that design to leavy more forces A Parliament was called to raise money which refusing to give were quickly dissolved The Scots grew enraged had encouragements make invasion which caused another Parliament to be called That Parliament would give no money except they might be established to sit till they had reformed abuses and things They were established by an Act to sit until both Houses consented to dissolve and also two Acts of grace was passed viz. to take away the High-Commission and Star-Chamber All this to please the people that they might assist in their further design of war as shortly after appeared wherein providence ordered their designs counsels aims and ends to Gods glory and to their own ruine Here take speciall notice of six severall peeces of providence 1. That the great pressures innovations and the designs apparent of bringing on greater oppression even to a perpetual slavery caused great fears in the people which could not be secured but by an established Parliament 2. That providence infatuated the late King and his counsell in passing an Act of unlimited time for establishment of that Parliament which was the giving away of one chief part of prerogative by which he might else have dissolved that Parliament after some years and saved his head Esau sold his birthright but he designed to have the blessing Providence had infatuated him that he considered not that the blessing was annexed to the birthright Our late King sold that part of his exercised prerogative with design to get it double not only to be King still but Tyrant too How Providence hath ordered those designs we know Thirdly That after the signing of the Act aforesaid the Soveraign Authority was in the Parliament which the late King by a wicked Councel and lying Clergy was seduced to take Arms against as Ahab was by his Councell and 400. lying Prophets to go up to Ramoth-Gilead to his own ruine and the ruine of his Family Fourthly That his heart was hardened and the hearts of his Councel and would not hearken to any offer of peace or reconciliation though many addresses were made to him from time to time by the whole house unanimously but his heart like Pharaohs was hard and the time of his peace was hid from him until it was too late when he desired it and might not have it Fifthly That Providence should make use of the Earl of Essex to be the Instrument to drive the late Kings wife from him whose Wife the late Kings Father gave to another man Sixthly That the late King by his refusal of all offers of reconciliation and his delaies entreaties providence over-ordering all things against his designs became his irrecoverable ruine of whom we may say as Sir Walter Rawleigh saith of Darius He was

infatuated in all his Counsels and undertakings against Alexander ever following the worst counsell and using the unsafest means to preserve himself which sheweth plainly that God had purposed his destruction and the losse of his Kingdoms And that the disappointing him and his Counsell in all their Designs and overthrowing their bloudy and cruell Armies was the immediate work of providence for the accomplishing of the secret purpose of God If we continue not to imitate and act the same sins of oppression and innovation or the like as Jehu did If so we do Iehu's reward will be given for our God is an unchangeable God What he hath done to others before us he will as surely do still and for ever where the like sins are acted God sometimes gives a King in ●is anger and takes him away in his wrath Hos. 13. 11. They whether King Parliament or people that reject the Word of the Lord the Lord will reject them 1 Sam. 15. 23. Thus God did by Saul and thus he did by Rehoboam for in that the ten Tribes revolted God himself testifieth and saith This thing is done by me 1 Kin. 12. 24. Who is he saith the Prephet in the name of the Church that saith it cometh to passe when God commandeth it not Lam. 3. 37. Many other observable providences have offered the due consideration of them to us which I may not passe by with silence among many that have attended our late Parliaments both in their sitting and in their dissolution I shall minde you of these few the first shall be this That when things were not likely to succeed according to the Parliaments design or a great part in Parliament They devised to publish an Ordinance called the Self-denying Ordinance thereby calling all the members of both Houses from all offices and military affairs here was a specious pretence but by them that made it it was not intended to be observed for who left any place of profit to serve the publike It is true so far as the present design reached it took and made a great and a good change in the Army but providence ordered that Ordinance and that change pulling down and setting up to frustrate the future design of them that made it Providence by that Ordinance took off the Right Honourable his Excellency the Earl of Essex from being General when he had gone with courage and fidelity as far in that work as his principles could carry him providence made him instrumental to lay the foundation of that work Providence also by that Ordinance and that change Ordered That the Right Honourable and Noble Sir Thomas Fairfax should be set up in his room to raise the structure of that work and building upon the fonndation Essex had laid as fitter to effect Gods further purpose who built as far as his principle could carry him when providence had used Essex as far as God had purpose to use him in that work Providence also in Sir Thomas Fairfax his time put a perverse spirit amidst the Members of Parliament so as the contest was very great grew into factions and interests some designing the life of him whom others designed to die so as the power of the Sword was called to end the controversie and all to the accomplishment of Gods will his Excellency the Lord Fairfax having a farre larger Commission then ever the Parliament gave before having in his hand power the use of the whole Militia Castles Forts Towns c Providence ordered upon some scruple in his Excellency that he voluntarily and resolvedly laid down his Commission when earnestly sollicited both by Parliament and by the then L●eutenant General Cromwell to hold it up And providence still ordering things to effect the purpose of God Ordered that the then Lieutenant Generall should have the same Commission or larger without limit to be Captain Generall of all Forces by Sea and Land Castles Forts c. consequently of all the whole Militia This was providence That he might lay on the topstone of the structure and finish the work so farre And as Providence had stirred him up as a valiant Champion so next as a faithful Patriot to his Countrey to dissolve a sit still Parliament to whom God had given all opportunities to do their Nation good but they would not nor could give themselves to consider what was their duty to act for their private Interests some levelling the Earth for their own design others building of Castles in the Air for a Fifth Monarchy an unsafe practice and very unsound doctrine unwarrantable to be maintained in bloud If these be not clear providences what shall we call Providence These things we have seen gradually acted and ordered by a secret and wise providence turning the design of the Parliament in their Self-denying Ordinance and the Powers and Commissi●ns thereupon granted to their dissolution which they aimed should have been the means to have perpetuated their sitting These things premised I shall modesty offer six Queries to any impartiall man upright and unbyast in this case First Whether it was not of providence that the Parliament gave to his Excellency the Lord Cromwell that unlimited power for the safety of the Nation as it was of providence that the Late King and his Councel past an Act of unlimited time for the Parliament to sit to his own ruine and casting off his posterity 1. Whether his Excellency were not bound in conscience for publike safety being a publike person in trust to make use of the one as well as the Parliament made use of the other and by that authority to dissolve an undoing Parliament as well as to suppresse a destroying Enemy both conducing to publike safety Thirdly whether the dissolving of that Parliament were any greater breach of priviledge then the taking out of one half of the members by force of which he had before of late a President in the time of the Lord Fairfax and well approved of by the dissolved Parliament Fourthly whether as Providence served our necessity by the late Kings Act for the Parliaments sitting for a long time It did not after severall admonitions as much serve our necessity after their too long fitting to dissolve that Parliament by the power of their own Commission Fifthly whether it were not evidently a providence That the succeeding Parliament not appointed by his Excellency but chosen by the Souldiery Many of them promoting except in giving away the publike treasure the like destructive waies to the taking away our Fundamental Laws and bringing in as it were another Gospel pulling down and overthrowing all but set up nothing except a floudgate to confusion should of themselves that is the major part to prevent those almost executed designs dissolve that Parliament and resign their authority into his Excellencies hand Sixthly whether providence did not wonderfully order things in that time of distraction discontent and division among the people at home and a bloudy warre abroad That his Excellency calling

infinite in power and he is unchangeable in all his waies and works He is the King of Saints n He goes forth conquering and to conquer o all Kings and Nations that are his enemies and shall break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in peeces like a potters vessell p for he is also King of Nations q And for the seed of Jacobs sake he will break in peeces the Shepherd and his flock the Captain and the Rulers r Out of his mouth goeth a sharp Sword that with it he should smite the Nations ſ And he shall rule them with a rod of Iron for the Lord is high above Nations and his glory above the Heavens t To him the Nations are as the drop of a bucket and the small dust of the ballance All Nations are before him as nothing and are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity u He hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and measured the Heavens with a span comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scaics and the hils in ballances * Such is the greatnesse of Gods power The daies of men the years of families and the ages of Kingdoms are all by him numbred and determined the time of their beginning the time that they shall continue the times and means of their encrease and of their diminution and the instruments to accomplish all Gods will in every particular All is known and appointed by God * till which time they shall stand and longer they cannot stand their period is certain determinated by God who is unchangeable But unto men they are altogether unknown therefore uncertain Secret things belong unto God yet these secrets God will reveal to his Saints in the time appointed when the time of the accomplishment is come and not before as we shall shew afterward in the proper place You know that Gideon was a good man and God stirred him up to be a deliverer of his people from the bondage of the Midianites the people would have made him their King and his poster●ty to rule after him which he refused Yet Gideon that he might leave a memorial of his acts and name asked of the people their earrings and their chains of gold which they had taken as their prey from the conquered enemy One thousand seven hundred shekels of gold besides other ornaments c. which they willingly gave him of which he made an Ephod and put it in his City And all Israel went a whoring after it that is they superstitiously worshiped it which thing became a snare to Gideon and to his house y This was the means to bring a period to Gideons Family for as soon as Gideon was dead Abimelech the Son of Gideon which he had by his Concubine a Shechemite together with the men of Shechem conspired against the Sons of Gideon which were threescore and ten and slew them all save Jotham who escaped Thus God made Abimelech the instrument to punish the sin of Gideon and Abimelech was made King and reigned 3. years Here was ambition treachery and murther in Abimelech and in the men of Shechem this puts a period to the life of Abimelech to the people of Shechem and to Abimelechs Kingdom for the Text saith God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem z So that Abimelech is the instrument to destroy the men of Schechem that joyned with him in his conspiracy and murther of his Brethren and set him up over them And when he had done that providence makes a silly woman the Instrument to destroy Abimelech a So you know Ahab sinned he sold himself to do wickedly and God by the Prophet foretelleth the destruction of him of his Family and of his Kingdom b Providence brings Jehu to be the Instrument to accomplish this work Iehu did it to the full and with great zeal seeming to the Lord of Hosts but Iehu's heart was not upright before God c Therefore the Prophet Hosea from the mouth of God denounceth judgement against the House of Iehu for the bloud of Ahabs house d Iehu did all that God had threatned against Ahabs house and he did but what was the will of God should be done yet Iehu must be no lesse punished then he had punished Ahab Calvin gives a good reason of this It was not saith he for any act done ro Iezabel or upon the children of Ahab for in all that the Lord himself testifieth he did well e but because Iehu's heart was not upright to God in that that he did and because Iehu did not depart from the sins of Ahab f Iehu sinning like Ahab must be punished like Ahab and it was made good accordingly at the time appointed g The Apostle tels us that these things are written for our adusonition h c. This is an admonition to them of our time whom God hath made Instruments to punish the sins and oppressions of others that they take heed that they be not guilty of the sinnes and oppression that they have punished in others It were a happinesse to this Nation if some were not as faulty as those that they have punished It is good that sin be punished but it will prove very ill to the punishers that walk in the practise of the same sinnes It was well done of Henry the eight in putting down the Popes Supremacy and demolishing Monasteries Nunneries Priories c. Let his end be what it will or what it was or the cause of doing it but it was very ill in Henry the 8. that he continued in the practise of the same superstition and persecution of Gods people It was a good act to cut off Tyranny but it is extream evil that the same hands should act high oppression God will stir up other hands to cut off them and their Families he hath already shewed his anger and will perfect it to their ruine if their repentance prevent it not for God is unchangeable in all his judgements and his dealings with men wherein a man sinneth therein he shall be punished as it was with Adonibezek if men notwithstanding all warnings admonitions and examples will go on in sin it is a sign that their period is nigh Thus it was with the Sons of Ely they were wicked and they were oppressive they caused the Sacrifices of God to be abhorred i and they were admonished by good old Ely but they would not hearken to his voice to be reformed and why because saith the Text The Lord would slay them k and providence ordereth the Philistins to be instrumental to accomplish it This was also the occasion of casting off Flies Family for ever By this we see how providence orders things Actions and Instruments to overturn and cut off Men and Families yea whole Kingdoms as we see in the mighty of Chaldea at the period of time

the hand-writing upon the wall shewed Belshazzar that God had numbred his Kingdom and finished it l the set time was come and the same night was Belshazzar slain and the Monarchy transferred to the Medes and Persians when he little expected such a change as appeareth by his jol●ity feasting and drinking wine with a thousand of his Lords and causing the vessels of silver and gold to be brought to carouse in which his Father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple in Hierusalem God defers long but when he smites he doth it suddenly when men least look for it and that irresistibly Now as providence ordereth things Actions and Instruments to cut off and to destroy as it pleaseth him so providence ordereth things Actions and Instruments secondary causes to advance men families and kingdoms when he pleaseth Of which I shall offer two or three Instances We see when God for the bringing his own purpose to passe in accomplishment of his Decree and promise made to Abraham and would to that end advance Ioseph above his brethren that he might be the Instrument to preserve his Fathers house which was then the only visible Church on earth Providence orders every thing to concurre And herein observe these nine particular peeces of providence 1. Iacobs love to Ioseph procures his brethrens hatred m 2 His Brethrens hatred procure consultations and conspiracies against the life of Ioseph 3. Providence suffereth them not to agree in their counsels to kill him and so his life was preserved 4. They sell him to the Midianitish Merchants these Merchants carry him into Egypt and there they sell him to Potiphar a chief Officer to King Pharaoh where God blesseth Ioseph and prospered all that he put his hand unto n 5. Ioseph is cast into prison by the false accusation of Potiphars wife In the prison he findeth favour of the Keeper of the prison and is trusted by him o 6. Two of Pharaohs servants his chief Butler and his chief Baker are by Pharaoh cast into the same prison where Ioseph was p and are put under Iosephs charge 6. This Butler and this Baker dream each of them one dream in one and the same night Ioseph came to the knowledge of their dreams and shews them the interpretation of it 7. This occasioneth Iosephs skill and knowledge in the Interpretation of dreams to be known q 8. Pharaoh also dreameth a dream which none could interpret which occasioneth Ioseph to be sent for out of the prison who telleth unto Phara●h the Interpretation of his dream Upon which Ioseph is made Ruler over Pharaohs House and over the whole Kingdom next to Pharaoh himself r 9. God brings a famine on all the earth except in Egypt for there he had given plenty Therefore Iacob sends his Sons into Egypt to buy food ſ there they bow to Ioseph their brother and do homage to him as was foretold by his dream and for which they so much the more hated him t Thus you see how providence ordered every thing to concurre to effect Gods purpose And Ioseph himself ●els his brethren as much saying It was not you but God that sent me before to preserve you a postcrity on earth and to save your lives u c. a means to accomplish what was promised long before w The like instance we have in the advancement of H●ster and Mordecai Very observable in ten other particular peeces of providence 1. That at so great and publike Feast as the King Ahashuerus made to his princes and people it should come into the Kings minde to send for his Queen Vastai a thing unusuall at such meetings 2. That the Queen should give so peremptory a denial And that the King for that one offence should be so greatly incensed against his Queen whom he loved and in whose beauty he gloried as to call for advice to revenge himself upon her x 3. That the Princes Nobles and wise men should thereupon suddenly advise to put away Vastai from being Queen 4. That when the fairest of the Persian Virgins were to be called to the King to chuse him another Queen that Ester should be brought amongst them who was of a strange Countrey and a Captive without any friend or means in Court to preferre her nor was her kindred nor family known yet providence gives her favour in the eyes of Hegai the keeper of the women y and of all that looked on her and specially in the eyes of the King so as she was taken into the house Royall and afterward became Queen in Vastai's stead z 5. That Mord●cai a captive Jew should be in the hearing of the Treason plotted by two of the Kings Servants to take away the Kings life and that by his discovery the Treason was prevented a 6. That this discovery of Morde at should be recorded and Mordecai named for the discoverer 7. That Haman the Agagite having gotten an irrevocable decree to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews the whole Church of God b yet swelling in rage against Mordecai prepared a gallows of fifty cubits high to hang Mordecai thereon c 8. That the same night before the intended execution of Mordecai Sleep should go from the King which caused him to call for the Chronicles to be brought and read before him and that the act of Mordecais discovery and saving the Kings life should be then among thousand other things pitched ●pon and read to the King which then occasioned the King to think of giving honour to Mordecai which he never thought of before d 9. That at that very instant Haman should come to the King with intention to speak that Mordecai might be hanged on the Gallows prepared of which he was not only disappointed but to his shame and grief was made the instrument to honour Mord●cai and being taken in his own snare was himself hanged on the gallows he made to hang Mordecai e 10. That Esther by her Intercession to the King in the behalf of her self and her people obtained her request and they the people that were designed to death became the destroyers of their enemies so that the Church of God was not only preserved from the cruelty of their enemies but was greatly advanced to their great joy rejoycing and thanks-giving to the praise and glory of God All which is left to the memory of all ages upon sacred record Such is the power and wisedom of God so ordering every thing by his providence to his own glory and his peoples good Take into your consideration the many providences for preservation to David whom God purposed to advance to the ●hrone of Israel what straits and difficulties he was often brought into by by designs of secret enemies treacheries revolting of friends and the malice of Saul and his flatterers daily pursuing his life with a great and resolute army all made frustrate by providence that the Decree of God prophesied by