Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	arm_n	day_n	great_a	989	5	2.8177	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83995	Englands remembrancers. Or, a word in season to all English men about their elections of the members for the approaching Parliament.		1656 (1656)	Wing E3037; Thomason E884_5; ESTC R207311	7,427	8

Englands Remembrancers OR A word in season to all English men about their Elections of the members for the approaching Parliament Dear Christian friends and Countrey-men WE have all reason to complain and say this day is a day of trouble rebuke and blasphemy our country that was great among the nations is now become vile all her friends have dealt treacherously with her they are become her enemies how is the profession of holinesse by the unrighteousnesse amongst us blasted with the names of hypocrisie falsenesse ambition and covetousnesse how is the glory and strength of our nation spoiled and the bloud of many thousands poured forth in wast like water how is the treasure exhausted trade and commerce destroyed and how are all our rights liberties and properties invaded and subverted by arbitrary powers and force of armes who can say his life or estate is secured for a moment if the jealousie envy pride lust or covetousnesse of some in power please to command it and how is destruction threatned daily by forreign enemies surely the day of the Lord is very great and terrible against us and yet there is mercy with him that he might be feared for in his abundant goodnesse he seems to open a door of hope and to give us all leave by our Deputies to advise the means of our safety and peace and the present writts for election of our representatives being the product of divine providence and we are confident not long since beyond the thoughts of those that sent them forth may be justly looked upon as the voice of God to you all saying gather the people call a solemn Assembly go and reason together for in the multitude of councell there is safety Dear Christians it is by the choice of your Deputies only that the whole body politick of this nation can consult together for their preservation by this means only you may all speak your minds one to another and every one to the whole nation it is the naturall way to settle your Government and provide for your common good and in your present case there is no other way or means consistent with the laws of God or the nature of mankind whereby our breaches can be healed lawfull powers and authorities created righteousnesse and justice exercised amongst us For which ends we most earnestly beseech you to be very serious and considerate in a matter of such high importance and take heed that you neither mistake nor carelessely sleight or neglect your present duty in the choice of your common Assembly Let it not be like a price put into the hands of fools without wisdome or hearts to use it O that you would all begge of God courage wisdome and faithfulnesse impartiality and integrity of heart in this great affaire First then mistake not your present duty think not as some that your strength in this affair is to sit still let not the darknesse of unexamined scruples prevent your acting in the choice of your representatives It may be some of vour tender hearts being troubled at what hath been done by the Lord Protector so called are affraid to vote in the choice of your Deputies lest you should seem to approve his power because the choice is appointed by his writs but we pray examine this better First consider that the writs for elections neither did nor ever could be justly construed to give the people any right to choose their members of the Parliament the Almighty God the Creatour and the fundamentall laws of this nation gave the people that right by their birth it was not in the pleasure of the Kings heretofore whether the people should ever chuse their Deputies for the common Assemblies though it was left to their discretion and prudence what time in the year it was most necessary to call the Assembly The Kings were bound by the laws and their oaths to send out writs every year to summon a Parliament and the last law made about Parliaments ordained the very Constables to summon the people to the elections if the Kings and others should neglect their duties to summon them and we hope none of you would have thought that the Constables summons had given you right to choose The writs are only to call you to exercise your own rights and surely you may use your own rights whosoever call you to do it If a thief should stop your way to your own house for a time and afterward send to you and bid you go home if you please we suppose none of you would scruple to go to your own house why then should you scruple whatsoever you think of the Lord Protector to use your own rights in the expected election now he permits you to do it being no way derived or claimed from him And if it be objected that the way of elections approved by the laws is altered it is easily answered that the divisions of the numbers of the Electours into severall bodies or meetings different from those former waies of meeting change not the rights and that you use your own rights as farre as he will suffer you and it were frowardnesse to cast away what you may enjoy because ye have not all your rights But it may be some others of you will say that God requires at this time higher waies of advancing Christs Kingdome than by Parliaments and that God is gone out of the dispensation of Parliaments and therefore you cannot look after this to chuse or to be chosen but upon due examination this darknesse of your minds will vanish and you will find that the Saints preparation for Christs Kingdome which God requires is clothing themselves with righteousnesse Rev. 19.8 and that no righteous civile powers of governing in this nation can be yet derived from any other fountain then the peoples consent or choice and that you cannot be righteous or holy in setting up consenting or adhering to any other civile governing powers 'T is yet the law given by God and repeated by Christ that you should do unto all men Saints or not Saints even as you would that they should do to you And we do believe that you would not that any man or men should impose laws upon you at pleasure and assume a power over your lives and estates without your consent and therefore it cannot be righteousnesse in you to do it unto others Say not therefore that God is gone out of Parliaments unlesse you could prove that God hath abolished this old law or that by some other divlne law the power of politick government is now to be derved from other originall then the peoples consent or choice and we beseech you dear Christians never fancy that ye are righteous or holie if the divine laws be not your rule we can no way so highly advance Christs Kingdome as by obeying his laws and to be found doing them when he comes But say some others we dare not have a hand in the choice of Parliaments for we doubt