Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
death_n act_n angel_n apostle_n 67 3 5.0046 4 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A41762 The Grand problem briefly discussed, or, Considerations on the true mature and limits of obedience and submission to governours with respect to the different forms of an absolute and limited monarchy / by a divine of the Church of England. Divine of the Church of England. 1690 (1690) Wing G1506; ESTC R28666 8,624 14

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

The Grand Problem briefly Discussed OR CONSIDERATIONS ON THE True NATVRE and LIMITS OF OBEDIENCE and SVBMISSION TO GOVERNOURS WITH Respect to the Different Forms OF AN Absolute and Limited MONARCHY By a Divine of the Church of England Licensed Novemb. 1. 1689. J. F. LONDON Printed for Tho. Mercer at the Royal Exchange in Corn-hill and Sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers-Hall 1690. THE PREFACE THE great prejudice which hath oppressed the minds of many very Good and Honest and well-meaning men with a kind of Turkish Submission to the pleasure of their Governours however Arbitrary and Illegal their Proceedings have been hath risen I conceive from their taking this one wrong method to determine the true bounds of their Obedience viz. That they seek directions herein from the Laws of God without due regard to the Laws of our Realm For though we readily yield to the Holy Scripture the highest respect and veneration though we acknowledg it a full and ample Rule of Manners as well as of Faith directing all the Offices of humane Life among all degrees of men from the highest persons to the lowest though it strictly requires us to render to all men to Caesar as well as our poorest Neighbour their due yet it no where determines mens Civil Rights and Properties For as the Kingdom of Christ was not of this World so He left the affairs of this World to be managed by the Laws of the World It is indeed impossible the Scripture should determine all Controversies about meum tuum mens Civil Rights what is mine and what my Neighbours what is Caesars due and what the Peoples and this because of the frequent alterations in Families and alienation of Estates and the almost as frequent vicissitudes of Government the several Acts of Condescension in Princes and new Grants of Liberties and Immunities Upon these accounts the Laws of the Land must be taken into Consideration together with the Precepts of Scripture to decide the Subjects Duty And the contrary opinion is such an errour as if it had universally obtained must needs have of late proved fatal to us not only in the loss of our Civil Rights but what is infinitely more considerable the benefits of our Reformed Religion If therefore this Paper which contains a double Scheme representing the Subjects Duty in a different manner according to the different Form of Government may prove effectual to obviate or remove any mistake in this case to settle the Minds of Men in a good liking of and due Submission to the present Government to the Peace and Quiet of the Nation or have that effect more publickly which it had on some private persons to whose only use it was at first designed 't will be satisfaction enough to the Author if he hath in the least contributed to the Service of his Country and not troubled the Reader to no purpose nor spent an hour or two in vain THE GRAND PROBLEM BRIEFLY DISCUSSED The QUESTION What Obedience is due from Christian Subjects to their Sovereign Prince THE Resolution of this must be with due regard to the Nature and Quality of the Government under which we live For 1. In an absolute Monarchy the Subjects Obedience must be absolute and universal or unlimited viz. 1. Either Active Obedience to all lawful Commands or full compliance with the Kings will in things not forbidden by God 2. Or Passive Obedience and Submission to his pleasure instead of performing his Commands when contrary to the express Laws of God First The former of these proved 1st From Scripture Eccles 8.4 Where the Word of a King is there is power and who may say unto Him what doest thou St. Matth. 22.21 Render to Cesar the things that are Cesars Rom. 13.4 He is the Minister of God 1. Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake to the King as supreme 2d From Reason VVhere the Prince is absolute or free from the limitation of any Laws there the Subjects Obedience must be proportionate and measured only by the Princes Edicts But if the will of the Prince be contrary to that of God if his Edicts and the Laws of the Gospel can't be Reconciled the Apostles determination is obvious Acts 5.29 We ought to obey God rather than men And if this exposeth the Subject to persecution and punishments to suffer the effects of the Kings wrath Here is the place for the Second sort of Obedience Passive or Submission and Non-Resistance Proved First from Scripture-Precept Rom. 13.2 They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation And verse 5. Ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake 1 Pet. 2.19 This is thankworthy if a man for Conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully And verse 20. If when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God So that in all Cases here is either Obedience or Submission enjoyned And the business being thus stated by the Laws of God how can it be capable of any alteration from a mere Civil Constitution VVhat signifies a Law of man in a matter before determined by the Law of God Secondly From Scripture-Example Our Lord Christ submitted to the most unjust sentence of death and would not use the assistance of Angels or Men against that Authority under which He lived but commanded Peter to put up his Sword when drawn in his defence St. Matth. 26.52 St. John 18.11 The like submission was practised by the Apostles Acts 5.41 Rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name Objection If it be objected concerning our Saviour that by the will of God it was necessary He should so submit in order to the redemption of the world Answer It may be answered That the sufferings of his Disciples and Followers are from the same will of God who did predestinate them to be conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 1 Pet. 2.21 Thirdly From the Example of the Primitive Christians under the persecution of Heathen Emperours Particularly from the Celebrated instance of the Thebaean Legion And what availeth it to say that the Laws of the Empire were against these men Shall the Laws or Customs of Men in themselves sinful and unjust make them Criminals whom the juster and superior Laws of God and Nature declare Innocent And to say that they wanted power to defend themselves is to contradict approved History and those pious Fathers of the Church who wrote Apologies for them 4thly Finally From the Nature of Martyrdom If men might defend their Lives Liberties or Religion it self by force of Arms against their natural and Rightful Prince what place could their be for Martyrdom which seems a voluntary suffering of death in the cause of God and Religion and for the sake of Truth and a good Conscience For what thanks is it to that man who dieth for his Religion when if it were in his power he would rather