Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	authority_n	king_n	power_n	1,558	5	4.8042	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88756	A confutation of the Solemn League and Covenant, against the persecuting dividing sense put upon it by such who seeke more themselves and their ends, then the glory of God, or the peace of the kingdomes. / By R.L. A true friend to all reall covenanters.	R. L.	1648 (1648)	Wing L53; Thomason E443_38; ESTC R204751	17,854	15

of the kirk of Scotland to the king at Newcastle The troubles of our hearts are enlarged and our seares increased in your Majesties behalfe perceiving that your peoples patience is above measure tempted and is like a cart pressed down with sheaves and is ready to break while as besides many formes designes and endeavours to bring desolation and destruction upon us c. Our countrey is now infested The bloud of divers of our Brethren spilt and other acts of most barbarous and horrid cruelty exercised by the cursed crue of Irish Rebels and their complices in this kingdom under the conduct of such as have commission and warrant from your Majesty and unlesse we prove unfaithfull both to God and to your Majesty we cannot conceal another danger which is infinitely greater than that of your peoples displeasure c. therefore in the Name of our Lord and master Jesus Christ who shall judge the World in righteousnesse both great and small and in the name of this whole national kirk which wee represent we make bold to warne your Majesty freely that the guilt which cleaveth fast to your Majesty and to your Throne is such as whatsoever flattering preachers or unfaithfull counsellours may say to the contrary if not timely repented cannot but involve your selfe and your posterity under the wrath of the everliving God for your being guilty of this shedding of the bloud of many thousands of your Majesties best subjects Was his Majesty blameable in the spilling of so much innocent bloud of his best subjects in the three kingdomes and was it then our duty to protect our selves against his Majesties power and authority which he exercised to our ruine and destruction to the utmost of his strength and is it not so hath not the parliament several times declared as particularly in their Message to the king 25. August 1642. That the king by setting up his Standard against them did put the two Houses of parliament and in them the whole Kingdom out of his protection that untill his Majesty shall recall those proclamations and declarations whereby the two Houses of parliament and all that adhered to them are declared Traitors they could not without betraying their trust admit of any Treaty with his Majesty Now hath the King recalled these Proclamations and Declarations ye or no hath he given satisfaction for blood or security to the Kingdome if not would you have us betray our cause break our covenant and treate as Traitors Had we not better have done this at first before this great expence of blood and treasure Must the covenant needs be at war with it selfe can we be bound by the covenant to assist the Parliament and all that adhere to them in maintaining the true Religion the Libertyes and Freedom of the people c. In opposition to the Arbitrary power of the King and likewise bound to defend and protect the Kings Majesty and Authority while in opposition unto the same former things But it is not the covenant but the designing faithlesse covenanters which are thus full of contradictions but if ye shall still do wickedly 1 Sam. 12.25 ye shall be consumed both you and your King A POSTSCRIPT BRethren this breife Explanation of the Covenant is not intended to perswade any from taking it much lesse any from keeping it but rather to discover the usefulnesse and inocency of it it being at this time the designe of all the profest enemies of Christ and his people to make this bond of Christian Union become a bone of Division amongst us by a seeming compliance with some things contayned in it which serve best their own ends which is a totall subverting the maine end of the Covenant viz. the brotherly uniting together all godly people whether of Paul Apollo or Cephas Against the common enemy to the power of Godlynesse and purity of Religion the libertyes and freedome of the people the Covenant in the plaine and naked sence of it being as free from compulsion as the late paper entituled the Agreement of the people onely the violent prosecuting of both by the rigid uncharitable promoters acting more out of design and bitternesse of spirit than conscience hath converted the one into a snare and the other into a yoake there being not one clause in the Covenant binding to any conformity in matters of Religion but what is with such large and cleere exceptions and conditions as any man without prejudicing his christian liberty may take it and walk answerable to it it being acknowledged by the Assembly of Divines in their exhortation for their taking the Covenant pag. 33. That there is nothing contained in it but what was manifestly and fully included in that Protestation taken by the whole Kindome May 5. 1641. Upon which the Parliament gives this Interpretation pag. 7. Whereas some doubts have been raised by severall persons out of this House concerning the meaning of these words contained in the Protestation lately made by the Members of this House vid. The true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Inovations within this Realme contrary to the same Doctrine The House doth declare by those words was and is meant only the publike Doctrine professed in the same Church so far as it is opposite to Popery and Popish Inovations That the said words are not to be extended to the maintaing of any forme of Worship Discipline or Government nor of any Rites or ceremonies in the said church of England What could have been more said to satisfie every man in this point which is not affected to Popery and Popish Inovations Againe in the first Preamble to the solemne league and covenant entituled The excellent usefulnesse of the Covenant it hath these words Unton with God conformity to God and unity of the three Kingdomes are things most desireable in the first we are happy in the second holy in the third is strength peace and safety These are the kindly fruits of this covenant and a covenant that brings forth these how gladly should they be embraced and how willingly received they are lovely bands that binde us to be happy holy and safe The heart of man is backsliding and a covenane is like a hedge or wall to keep us from going backward It doth not say to hinder us from going forward From forgetting of those things which are behind reaching forth unto those things which are before pressing toward the Marke for the price of our high calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.13 There being not one clause in the whole Covenant tending to binde or limit a believer in point of Faith or practice in matters of Religion but on the contrary making a strong provision for their further freedome the very businesse and end of the Covenant being to defend and preserve our Christian and Civill Liberties against the Popish Prelaticall persecuting party in the Kingdome which is not onely my sense but the