Selected quad for the lemma: hand_n
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A57732
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The magistrates power vindicated, and the abominablenesse of resisting their power discovered by Peter Row.
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Row, Peter, fl. 1662.
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1661
(1661)
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Wing R2060A; ESTC R182865
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10,788
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16
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and things not to do wherein being obedient to God they would indeed have been a terrour to evil doers and praise to them that did well Deut. 14. to the end and the things commanded sometimes they did not and so did the things forbidden yea all their daies and yet retain the power and the people bound to subjection yea the best of them had eminent turnings aside herein but this never took away their power nor dethroned them neither disobliged the subjects this is clear in the case of Saul and David and Asah who committed great murders and Solomon and others multiplied horses and wives and the like contrary to command Saul slew eighty five innocent Priests and their City both men and women and children and sucklings and oxen and asses and sheep with the sword 1 Sam. 22.18 19. and contrary to Law even the Law from Gods mouth sought to slay David but David said hee could not resist or stretch out his hand against him and be guiltless no though he was a great Captain in Israel and anointed heir to the Crown I might larger insist on these things but my desire is brevity but from what is written none can but confess so far as I can see except they speak against light that if the being a punishment to good and a praise to the evil did make void the Kings power most of the Kings in Israel Sauls in particular and Davids too had been gone but you plainly see the contrary in what is said before in this answer 2 This cannot be essential to the being of the Higher Powers and disoblige us as to subjection is clear because Christ himself was herein subject Mat. 17.27 and to the death and more clear to this purpose he commands our subjection to them yea wherein they wrong us 1 Pet. 2.21 No one will say he was not able to resist if he should Christ gives him the lye Mat. 26.53 but some will say he was then called to suffer and therefore would not resist though he were able the same call is upon thee from Christ 1 Pet. 2.21 to follow his steps in the very thing but if thou wilt not take up his cross and follow him thou canst not be his Disciple Object 2 But we finde in Scripture that holy men did resist the powers and yet were blameless yea did well in it as Gideon Ehud and several others and why then may not we Answ. 1 They were extraordinarily called to it by the Lord that is the Lord spake to them by voice or Angels or Prophets or other extraordinary wayes 2 They had no command to be subject to those Kings but rather the contrary not to suffer them Exod. 23.31 Deut. 7.2.24 chap. 23.3.6 Thou shalt destroy their Kings and therefore were absolutely forbidden to make a Covenant with them for then they must keep it as with the Gibeonites which would be a snare to them had they never so good an oppurtunity the breach of which by Saul was sorely plagued by the Lord and they might do many things then that we must not now they might have more wives than one and divorce and one marry the divorced but not so now Mat. 5.31.32 compared with Deut. 24.1 2. and Mat. 19.7 8 9. So then they might destroy but now we must not offend Mat. 17.27 but thou not being immediately or by Prophets called to it neither commands in the Scripture for it but commands to the contrary their example will not justifie thee Obj. 3. But God did set Saul over the children of Israel by commandement and the people to be subject to him yet David resisted him Ans. 1. David was before this anointed to be King 2. David did not resist Saul or make war against him that I can finde but fled from him though he might have destroyed him yea he saith himself it was sinful and unlawful to stretch out his hand against him 3. But if what in this answer should not be so clear but that he did resist yet consider that examples are not alwaies binding duties if so then we must circumcise as Paul did especially when we receive command to the contrary from the Lord. Obj. 4. But if I must be subject to the Higher Powers then a theef on the high way being in power above mee I must not resist A. A theef on the high-way or the like is not the Higher Power or the Supream Authority in a Nation and therefore no Objection Obj. 5. But if the Higher Powers rise against mee to kill mee without cause must I not defend my self Ans. Not by resisting as David when Saul sought to kill him and said He should one day perish by the hand of Saul yet at the same time saith He should not be guiltless if he did it 1 Sam. 26.9.11 to the end compare chap. 27.1 So that he makes a clear answer to this Question or Objection so that the Prophet David condemns such an act that none could do it and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.9.11 yea cryes out God forbid that I should do such a thing when others stirred him up thereunto Now I shall proceed to some reasons why every soul ought to be subject to the Higher Powers Reas. 1. Because God hath set up this Power that is the Apostles reason for subjection for saith hee There is no Power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God hee hath raised them to be Rulers over us therefore should wee submit to the power God hath set over us John 19.11 Obj. We finde that Rulers many times are usurpers which God said to Israel were not set up by him therefore hee intends not such powers Hos. 8.4 Ans. 1. It appears they were not usurpers for the reproof is not against them but the people so they it seems set not up themselves but the people therefore it seems not to be upon the account of usurpation 2. But that God intends such as come illegally they are not Powers set up by God Before I give an answer to this I shall as is necessary 1. Shew to whom the Prophet speaks 2. Of whom 1. To whom to Israel vers 3. 2. Of whom it must be of Jeroboam Son of Joash who was then King as appears in Hosea 1.1 or of Saul or some of the Kings of Israel either Saul the first and so all Kings being first desired by them contrary to Gods mind 1 Sam. 8.6 7. compared with Hosea 13.10 11. or else upon the chusing a King upon their revolt from the house of David Jeroboam Son of Nebat or of some that destroyed the Kings and set themselves up as Baasha and others but neither of these wee finde that are particularly mentioned but God saith hee set up as to Saul see 1 Sam. 15.7 as to Jeroboam Son of Nebat see 1 Kings 11.11 compared with vers 31. and 37. chap. 12.15 24. Concerning the Son of Joash now King hee was the third Generation of Jehu whom God sent his Prophet to