Selected quad for the lemma: city_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
city_n	king_n	lord_n	people_n	5,525	4	4.6112	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30816	The necessity of subjection asserted in an assise-sermon preached in the Cathedral Church at Sarum, July 17, 1681 / by John Byrom ...	Byrom, John.	1681 (1681)	Wing B6408; ESTC R2657	11,598	34

Countrey and resist the legal Magistrate They have cited that of the Royal Prophet in Psal. 149 8. where he speaks concerning binding their Kings in Chains and their Nobles with links of Iron but the words are directed only against those superstitious Heathens upon whom God design'd to execute his wrath for their gross Idolatry as is evident from the preceding verse and so nothing at all to their purpose Lastly not to rake into all their abuses they have cited and grosly misapplyed to themselves that saying of the Apostles we ought rather to obey God than men Acts 5.29 as if they without any disparity in the Case were acted by the same spirit that the Blessed Apostles were and pursued the same end and design with them it is easie enough to plead and distort Scripture The most ●bstinate Hereticks the most profligate Sinners nay Devils themselves can do it however then by a kind of profanation of the words they term'd their own ambitions and intemperate Desires Gods Cause however they encouraged the people to Arm as if to unsheath the Sword against the Lords Anointed was to fight the Lords Battels This is undeniably certain that no pretence whatever can justifie such proceedings for it is impossible for a man whatever is flourished to the contrary to be at once a bad Subject and a good Christian. What lastly shall we say unto them who under the colour of Christian Liberty would break down the fences of Government and lay it so wast that not so much as one stone should be left upon another The liberty which our Saviour purchased by the effusion of his sacred and inestimable blood is wholly spiritual and yet to serve such designs which I am unwilling to call to your thoughts these are some who would have it to be temporal but can any rational person believe that Christ who came to free us from Sin hath yet given us a freedom to do wickedly as we apparently must if we resist the lawful Magistrate whom Christ hath commanded us to obey This is such a solecism and wild contradiction that nothing but deep Atheism or if I may joyn such distant words together religious Phrensie can be guilty of it and in truth it may justly raise our Admiration that such persons as these claim to themselves the name of Protestant when Protestants as I have made appear from their respective Confessions disclaim and renounce such horrid Principles they may peradventure protest against the errors of Rome and in this they do well but they protest too against the truths of God and what distracting Schisms in the Church and convulsive Agonies in the State this at last may produce is easie enough to foresee without a Prophetique Spirit and therefore how justly they would appropriate to themselves this name when they who were first called thereby acted upon different principles I leave all considering men to judge And now my Lord having asserted the rights of that Power which causes your presence here and authorizes your judiciary proceedings among us give me leave to be your remembrancer that what subjection soever we owe to the higher Powers your selves are subject to the highest of all God he the supream and soveraign Judge of the World will call mankind to an account for their actions by Him we must stand or fall without an Appeal to another if it should be your unhappiness which God forbid to tread in the path of violence or wrong you cannot but expect a heavier doom than that which you here pronounce against the guilty But if you observe the rules of Justice and determine according to the tenor of it you will surely receive most righteous Judgment Judgment temper'd and sweetned with Mercy at the great Tribunal of Heaven and then it will be a comfort and pleasure unto you to behold your omniscient Judge and King whose countenance otherwise will shoot forth horror and dart amazing fearfulness then when the Statutes of Heaven are opened it will be more to your advantage and honour than that which you at present enjoy or can possibly expect from those that are made upon earth then in a word you will be exalted to an immortal state of Glory for happiness and justice are eternal Companions and cohabit in the Regions above for ever Let me therefore intreat you in the name of God to cast up your Eyes towards this glorious Eternity that neither fear nor 〈◊〉 those spiritual Traitors may cause you 〈…〉 of it 'T is true if we 〈◊〉 men we live in an Age wherein 't is impossible to please neither can it be in reason expected so long as the fury of Rome and Enthusiastique rage ferment and boil among us But this is your comfort that the discharge of a good Conscience will be pleasing to Him who can infinitely reward you and what ungrateful clamors soever you meet with in this world you will be sure by this means to hear most sweet Hallelujah's in the other In the mean time let us who are here unanimously pray That we may live in due subjection to the present that is to the best of all Governments and that God would so direct your design'd proceedings in this City and elsewhere that they may tend to the honour of our Soveraign Lord the King who sent you to the peace and welfare of this I wish I could not say divided People and to the re aladvancement of the divine Glory FINIS