Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	aforesaid_a	person_n	power_n	2,045	5	5.0109	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55779	The cloudie clergie, or, A mourning lecture for our morning lecturers intended for a weekly antidote against the daily infection of those London preachers, who de die in diem do corrupt the judgments of their seduced auditors, against the governours and government of the common-wealth of England, grounded upon received aphorismes, digested into chapters, fit to be considered by those froward [sic] chaplins that have been the Quondam Beautefews against the late King of England, and are the present beadsmen for the now King of Scotland : the like whereof they may expect from week to week, while they abuse the Parliament and army from day to day / by a friend, who for their timous recovery doth cri in hope.	Price, John, Citizen of London.	1650 (1650)	Wing P3341; ESTC R983	16,180	22

more fully enjoy without the least controul except for disturbing the publike peace then ever under any former authority they either make not the least mention of them or else so stir up the people against them by Malignant false scandolus and base reflection of dishonor upon them that have been little other then even bloody beautefews to another war But let us hear their objections and return them answers Object It is true Iust Government is Gods Ordinance for mans good and the kindes thereof Mans Ordinance for Gods glory But care that Government be just that is procured by unjust ways Potentiality is not Authority If Jack Straw or Wat Tiler No●… Crumwell and Tom Pride should by force of Armes pull down our lawfull Magistrates and sett up themselves and rule us with rods of iron their glittering swords is this just Government must We obey will not Our Submission argue our Concession to all that they have done And shall not we by our post Act partake of their sin and so of their curse First we answer though we grant the Government was altered by force of arms and that comparatively by a small party of the Nation yet rebus sie stantibus and consideratis considerandis they had a very sufficient warrant for what they did For First They had authority Secondly They had equity Thirdly they had an opportunity for their action The reason is plain viz. because they onely adhered unto their trust and the rest of their fellow Commissioners which with them were the Trustees of the Common-wealth did plainly treacherously and basely contrary to their trusts their Votes Covenants promises and ●…esolutions decline the peace and interest of the Nation endeavouring to patchup a peace with the late King upon such Terms which being acquiesced in would and that in the then judgement of the very Scots destroy the very ends of all their former proceedings yea betook themselves unto such a course by treating with the late King which ●…cording to their own Declaration when there was ●…ot the least shadow of restraint upon them they profest they could not in conscience do except they were resolved before hand to treat away all that they fought for and to be treated out of all that they ●…uld not be fought out of vea which course if they should 〈◊〉 they declared they should draw the whole g●…lt of all the bl●…d that 〈◊〉 shed in the three Nations upon themselves and not onely ●…oo bad do that which they declared would tend to the apparent destruction of the persons which have engaged and the ends for which they did engage in the late 〈◊〉 and hereupon did resolve and orde●… Th●… they would m●…e no 〈◊〉 Addresses who the late King Prohibiting all others upon penalty of High Treason not to makes breath of that order That they would receive no Message from him enjoyning That no person whatsoever should presume to receive or bring any Message from him to either or both Houses of Parliament or to any other person and yet after all this to the amazement of all men let there be guilt of bloud or no guilt let the persons formerly engaged in the wars and the ends of such engagements be destroyed or not destroyed so they could shift for themselves without regard had either to God or man they treat with the King and by the assistance of the tumultuous Citizens insurrecting Counties adjacent and remote in Wales the revolting Navy and the base Scot invading the Nation were like to reduce us to more intolerable bondage and slavery then ever was known in this land and to make us more perfect Vassals then any are in Turkie and was it not high time that such treacherous if not traiterous persons as these were should be pluck't away even by head and ears that should thus ruine their Country and betray their trust Do we not well remember how the Bels did ring changes at Westminster while these were among them how did they wheel and reel advance and retreat go forward and backward do and undo say and unsay vote and unvote order and disorder that the then Kingdom did so shuffle and shiver so tremble and stagger as if it would have run into the old tohu and bohu of confusion and annihilation and the poor Inhabitants of the Nation knew not what to do nor where to fix If they clos'd with the King beware sequestration if they joyned with the Parliament beware desolation if they cleaved to the Army the City did frown if they stuck to the City the Army must down This day Be it ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament that such and such persons be sequestred for malignancy for raising up the people by the Commission of Array against the Parliament of England The next day Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid That the said such such persons be the Deputy Lieutenants for such such Counties one day These are straightly to charge and command you to take into your safe custody the bodies of such and such persons impeached of high treason and this shal be your Warrant the next day These are straightly to charge and command you to release and set free the persons aforesaid and this shal be your Warrant Yesterday Be it Ordered by the authority of this House That such and such persons be made uncapable to sit as members in this House during this present Parliament to day Ordered by the authority aforesaid that the Members aforesaid be admitted to sit as Members of this House Yesterday Resolved upon the question That it is not fit or safe for the Kingdom that a personall Treaty be admitted with the King untill satisfaction and security be given for the bloud that hath been shed by his Commissions commands To day Resolved upon the question That there shal be a personal treaty with the King Notwithstanding no such satisfaction nor security given as aforesaid Yesterday Be it Declared That his Majesty contrary to his trust Oath at Coronation c. hath raised and levied a bloudy and unnaturall War against his loving and loyal Subjects the Parliament of England To day Ordered That his Majestie come with freedom honor and safety to one of his Houses at such a distance from London upon his royal word and verball promise That he shall sign such and such Bils c. Yesterday Be it ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled That such and such persons be Commissioners for the Militia of the City of London for such a time To day again Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid That the former persons be no more Commissioners for the Militia of the said City but that such and such formerly displaced be restored again Yesterday Exit West from being any longer Lieut. of the Tower enter Titchburn to day exit Titchburn and enter West into his place again was there ever seen such crossings such shiftings shufflings such Yeas and

Noes such Noes and Yeas in a Parliament before was it ever like that a Parliament so constituted so uncertain tottering staggering so fast and loose so up and down would ever accommodate the interest of this Nation as the case stood Nay did not all men see that these treacherous Members were ready to deliver all up into the hands of him that would quickly ruine and destroy us for our adherence even unto them so that it was high time for those that were faithful amongst them to consult how they might though by force of Arms separate these false-hearted men from those that would still keep firm to their profest principles of preservation of the peace and just liberty of this Nation and if it was just to oppose the King and his Lords and Commons and that by force of Arms that would have ruin'd us out of the House in the open field it is as lawfull to drve away and that by force of Arms too those that did endeavour likewise to destroy us by a Law the Houses of Parliament the common safety of the people being the supream and soveraign end both of Parliament and Armies by all this it appears that they had authority rebus sic stantibus to do what they have They are a rightfull authority being those that were chosen by the people and did adhere unto the ends of their first Election when the test did not Secondly that they had sufficient reason for the altering of the Government they have declared and because the reason thereof is not impleaded but the Authority therefore I shall wave that Thirdly they had an opportunity hereunto by the power of the Army as you very well know for the thing was done and they had been unfaithful in their trust having such a means at hand to save the Nation had they not made use thereof accordingly so that you see the grounds why we cannot grant that the present authority did come by their authority by unjust means though they got it by force of arms and that against the consent of the major vote of the Parliament for here were votes against votes the former contrary to the latter those importing the peoples good these their hurt those made when the Parliament was free these when they were under new fears of bringing in the late King by force of arms those votes beckt with reason and arguments * certified by the Parliament to the whole Nation these grounded upon pleasure We know that a Parliament may vote and revoke and revote again and again order unorder and reorder ordain repeal and reordain the same things over and over all conducing in their best apprehensions to common safety and faithfulness to their trust may require them so to do because it is the end viz. common safety and not the means viz. their Votes Orders Ordinances c. that must prostrate them and as the case may stand we may be bound in conscience to submit thereunto but when they have praepossessed our reason and judgement not by bare votes orders and ordinances but by strong and effectuall reasons and arguments against treating with the then King as bringing upon them and consequently the whole Nation all the bloud that hath been shed in these wars yea as plucking up the foundatation of ever setling a peace with him which should be just and sure yea that it tended to the apparent destruction of the persons which have engaged and loss of the ends for which both the Nations of England and Scotland did engage in these wars rendring themselves thereby according to their own Declaration base and dishonorable being in that condition as they were in to treat under the Gallows to treat as traitors their cause being not justified nor the Declarations against them as rebels recalled yea and Fools too being possest of the Sword according to their right not to secure it to themselves and posterity before they treated of any thing that neither they nor their posterity might be put to play another bloudy game for the same thing when we say they themselves did thus praepossess our judgements should those of them that did stil remain faithfull unto the Nation suffer the rest because the major vote having an opportunity in their hands thus to ruine themselves and friends and must the people submit unto such votes so conducing because the major part turn base and dishonorable yea fools and take upon them the guilt of traitors must the minor part of a contrary mind be concluded and not hinder and prevent such things if they can Can a Parliament vote down their own reasons and arguments which they have argued up in the minds and judgements of others doubtless the people ought to acquiesce rather in those votes enforced by reason then in those contrary Votes evidenced meerly by voting there they have their reason here their will Can we think that it is the duty of the Army or others in Parliament or out of Parliament to content themselves with and to submit unto the meer wil and pleasure of the Parliament in such things as according to their ownjudgements and reasons yea and according to the argued demonstrated grounds and principles of reason of those very persons that after without shewing any reason for what they did decline the same that in such a case they should submit having an effectuall opportunity a well resolved power and strength to prevent the same No surely They that told us that a Kingdom must not be ruin'd at the meer will and pleasure of a King have taught us to infer the like touching the meer will and pleasure of a Parliament if it be not salus Regis it cannot be voluntas Parliamenti but salus Populi that is the supream law surely he that did never appoint that the lives of millions of men should be prostrated to the meer arbitrary will and pleasure of a ●…ing did never ordain that they should be thus subjected to the reasonless vote of a Parliament but if a King should rise up against a people to enforce his pleasure upon them by the sword to their apparent destruction the people may rise up in Arms and resist him for so you Ministers have instructed the Nation will it not then follow that if a Parliament should do the like by a Vote that in such a case the like resistance is alike lawful neither will it here avail to say Who shall judge For it is already answered that the Parliament themselves did judge and determine the matter and that not simply by bare Votes but by many reasons and a very large Declaration was published by them importing their many reasons to the satisfaction of the people therein and therefore if a Parliaments reason according to common principles shal rise up against a a Parliaments Votes impugning the same especially when the life or death of a Nation or the honest party thereof is concerned therein it behoves the people to rise up

all godliness and honesty affirming it to be both good und acceptable in the sight of God this was their judgement that if so be they could live a peaceable and quiet life under their rulers in all goodliness and honesty such rulers should not onely be submitted unto but earnestly prayed for that God would blesse them and prosper them Why then should you haesitate in your yeilding obedience to the present Governours cannot you live under them a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty What hinders you had you ever such freedom speak your own consciences under any government or governours before what strains of Idolatry what ceremonies are imposed upon you May you not preach and pray and pray and preach and that not onely in private but in publique as oft as you will provided you disturbe not the civil peace of the Nation and may you not do this not only by the toleration and connivance but by the approbation and countenance of those that are in authority and let any history produce when you or the rest of the people of God had the like liberty and respects from the Rulers of England before yea and let any history produce instances of the like ingratitude scorne and contempt cast upon the ruling powers especially from the grand professors of the Ministers of the Gospel as your selves are bedashing them with the blood of the ●…ing and the imputation of murderers from day to day scorning all their Commands Acts Orders though requiring things at your hands in themselves agreeable to your profest principles and practises when they command you to fast and pray for success against your known and avowed enemies yea the very * Rebels in in Ireland you will not when they command you to give thanks for success against them you pine and mourn and murmur and will not give thanks to the very amazement of all that know you behaving your selves in your prayers in your Sermons after such a froward peevish peltish manner as if you had been the sons of the Prophet Ionah begotten by him in his angry fits never did such Ionasnes of spirit appear in so many professors of the Ministry in this Nation nay do you not pray against the present Governors preach against them work all underhand mischiefs against them tamper in the Parliament in the City in the Army pro●…uring their beheading that so the body of i●… might fall to the ground and all if it was possible to pul them from their seats of government surely Christ Iesus and his Apostles whose Ministers and Successors you profess your selves to be were of another spirit again the time would fail if we should insist but upon the tythes of those instances of Governours both in our own and other Countries who got the Government by meer power and of all the people of God that did always obey them in lawfull things and whereas the Covenant is pleaded by you for your justification in this behalf though enough and enough is answered in this kind that shift of Covenant and plea of Covenant being indeed almost worn out it is most notoriously known that that very Covenant was founded and grounded in a quite contrary sense to what you now urge it viz. to justifie your taking up arms against him that had lawfull authority over you though he did not use it lawfully as you all very well know and why may not others plead Covenant in the like case if you will but a little consider the exhortation of the Assembly of Divines to the taking of the Solemn League and Covenant Ordered by the House of Commons the ninth of Feb. 1643. to be printed and published you shall see that this very Covenant was founded in that which now you call usurpation in the Parliament viz. a Covenanted resolution of fighting against the King and his Lords and Commons be they either the major or minor part of the Parliament it matters not that contrary to their trust did imbondage and inslave the people and indeavored the same and this practise justified in an instance brought in by the said Assembly of Divines in these words neither hath this practice or doctrine viz. of joyning by force of arms against undeserving Governors been deemed seditious or unwarrantable by the Princes that have sate upon the English Throne but justified and defended by Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory with the expence of much treasure and bloud in the United Provinces of Netherland not onely without but against the unjust violence of Philip of Spain King James followed her steps so far as to approve of their union and to enter into a league with them as free States which is continued by his Majesty now raigning unto this day speaking of the late King who both by his expedition for the relief of Roche●…in France and his strict confederacie with the Prince of Orange and the States General notwithstanding all the importunity of Spain to the contrary hath set to his Seal that all that hath been done by his Royal Ancestors in maintenance of those who had so engaged and combined themselves was just and warrantable and what had become of the Religion Laws and Liberties of our sister Nation of Scotland had they not entred into such a solemn League and Covenant or if you will Engagement at the beginning of the late troubles there but instar omnium to give you one instance more of your own party we hope that will be authentique with you and that is of the Scots of happy memory if your memories will serve you but for two or three yeers together who you know when that the major part of the Parliament of Scotland did Vote the sending into this Nation and against the same an Army under Duke Hamilton contrary unto all their former Vows Treaties Covenants c. as the major part of the English Parliament did Vote a Treaty with the late King contrary to their former resolutions Votes Orders to the hazard of incurring the guilt of all the blood and loss of the ends of the late war yet you know a minor party did oppose them and by their own strength the aide of the now Lord Generall whom they indeed have required most what shall we say Scot-like did depose the said major part of the said Parliament as the now governing party did here in England by the said power and force were themselves established in the room thereof as the example still runs parallel here and yet did you not approve of them pray for them bless God for their happy success against their enemies can you imagine men so thick-skuld so stupified as not to observe your partiality or have you a dispensation to make election and reprobation of actions of the self same nature disposition circumstances tendencies and to reward them in some with honor and glory and in others with shame and contempt to say unto some men for these actions well done you blessed