Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	angel_n	heaven_n	lord_n	10,698	5	3.8517	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25844	The armies vindication of this last change wherein, is plainly demonstrated, the equity, power and right of the army to settle these nations upon the foundations of righteousnesse and freedome : together, with answers to the most material objections made against them.		1659 (1659)	Wing A3719; ESTC R13587	14,976	25

dare say that no honest man interested in the cause of God and of his people of an unbyassed judgment of a publick spirit truly minding his own welfare and the lives and liberties of his brethren can be against convenient pay for the Army Considering they carry themselves with love and tenderness not Robing nor Plundering those under their power but defending the rights and properties of all being under a severe discipline they are civill and of good behavour I say no man that is in his right minde can be against their pay except he be an enemy It 's well known they grounded great necessities to save the purses of the people there is the same reason of their pay as of their continuance and both are of an indispensable necessity Object 4. In the next place it 's said that be the intentions of the Army never so good yet they must not doe the least evill that the greatest good should come thereby Ans It 's true we must not chuse the least evill yet howere evill may cleave to our actions so there may appear to be much weaknesse and darknesse in some actions of the Army their work being to destroy and pull downe as those that pull down old houses cannot but trouble the eyes of the stander by so that some of their wayes may be accompanied with precipitancy and rashnesse but who is it that doth not plough with an Ox and an Asse in his best services and doth not blemish his best duties with some notable defects Moses smote the rock twice Numb 20.11 And Rahab concealed the two spies by telling an untruth yea and she seemed to do it with unfaithfullness to her owne country But the Author to the Hebrews tells us she did it by faith that is she by warrant of some particular revelation received from God did this believing that the Lord was the author of the War was with his people in the Wildernesse and would give them their Land and therefore God doth cover her defects and declares it an Act of faith So I believe many in the Army act by faith believing the Lord will shake all Nations untill the desire of Nations come and hence the Lord will overlook all irregularityes and weaknesses that mhy cleave to theer actions in pulling down worldly powers The men of the world are chiefly offended because the kingdome of Christ is at the very door it s so conspicuous and bright that it makes men rage and fume they know not how to resist it because its unresistable and they cannot own it because it suits not with the Worlds wisdome and policy It s likely to be much rejected of this generation to whom its first offered Men are pleased to view Christs kingdome at a distance as the Jews could converse with Christ in types and shadows but when he comes indeed they reject him so will it be with this Generation 5. Object It is farther urged that we must be subject to eivil powers as to the Ordinance of God the powers that be ordained of God Rom 13.1 The usurp'd powers of the Roman Emperour was ordained of God Answ The answer for this is at hand A Military power is us truly an Ordinance of God as any other and superior to it The antient Government being irrecoverably lost the Army with the good People in the condition of Conquerors being an Army cloathed with the peace freedom and privileges of the good people this is as rational and as just as any other Government and much better and most suitable then any other for us at this day as I shall shew hereafter It 's therefore necessary for us to know that a Military power is as much an Ordinance of God as the Civil if not more and the Lord doth as usually delight to appear in this form of Government as in any other he is stiled the Lord of Hosts very often he doth also manifest it in the Creation casting his work into the mould of an Army when he had finished the heaven and earth and the Host of them Gen. 2.1 In his Providence he is said to pitch his Tent about them that fear him when he redeems he comes as a man of War with his garments dipt in blood Isu 9. When he comes to destroy Antichrist comes with his Arm es in heaven when he comes to judge he comes with thousands of Angells And thus the Lord rejorceth to come forth in a Military cloathing And therefore know that an Army is an Ordinance of God appointed by him as the most absolute perfect power on earth having the substance of all Governments contajned in it This was Rubens portion and 't is called the Excellencie of Dignitie the Excellency of Strength Hence all Governments are called powers and in Scripture called the Sword The Apostle speaking of the Civil Magistrate saith He bears not the sword in vain By this we see the Sword is an Ordinance of God and must be subjected unto as well as Civil power 6. Objection In the next place it is often demanded How it was such a hainous crime in the King to demand but five Members and no breach at all in the Army to dissolve the whole Parlament Answ It is answered thus When the King came to pluck out the Five Members out of the House he came in a hostile manner in a time of Peace when the Government of the Nation was whole and intire standing in its full strength and luster But now the Act of the Army is quite another thing the Government being broken and shattered and that remaining part of the Parkament was very lame and defective and this standing onely by the Armies power this lessens the Crime if not wholly obleterated 7. Object Another Objection to be removed is this Did not Essex and Waller disband at the command of the Parlament and why not this Army Answer The Earle of Essex with others were called in by the Self-denying Ordinance as they were Members of Parlament and the Government was in the same condition as whole as intire as when they were first sent out Besides they were not crowned with such victories and success as the Army since was and moreover there had been never such a breach of Trust committed by the Parlament as after all those victories they were about giving all up to the King again as by the personal Treaty was like to be done and so those that had ventured their lives should have been left to the mercy of an inraged enemy Upon this the people make their Appeals to the Army to interpose in those concernments Now if the Army had disbanded at such a time it would have been to subjected their lives and liberties so dearly purchased to the lusts and designs of evill men all which in conscience and duty to God and man they were bound to preserve Besides the case of the Nine Officers that made the breach now was quite another thing then that of disbanding it