Selected quad for the lemma: head_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
head_n	body_n	king_n	politic_a	2,735	5	10.6730	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91892	The peoples plea: fully vindicating the povver and proceedings of the Parliament. Occasioned by a defence of the covenant. /	Robinson, John, prebendary of Westminster.	1646 (1646)	Wing R1697; Thomason E328_3; ESTC R200667	15,619	24

ordained for their safetie rather than all should perish to save one Thou art worth ten thousand of us say the people * 2 Sam. 18. 3. to King David but not worth thirteen hundred thousand * 2 Sam. 24. 9. for all that It is true the meanes materially may be better than the end But I say as meanes they are subordinate and inferiour Now a King or Governour in his best notion is but a meane for the Subjects happinesse It was indeed our Saviours infinite but voluntarie goodnesse that being in the forme of God c. hee would so far emptie and debase himselfe as to be the meane of mans salvation Let us hold to humane or naturall means I know it is objected the King is the Head and Highest therefore no way inferiour How the King is the Head and Supreme is elsewhere declared But a politike Head is much different from the naturall This being taken off the body dyes Till that all government be taken away the politike body dyes not However the Head bee highest in place the Body is above it in dignitie especially because it beares the Heart the principall part by Aristotles Philosophy Fountaine of Life Mint of the Spirits and prime Seat of the Soule Thirdly if this were the condition of Government at the first institution it must be the condition of all just and lawfull Governments unto this day the Rule being eternall of Salus Populi and wheresoever there is any failing or defect herein there is so great a declination to Tyranny more or lesse And therefore it is most considerable how a Kingdome began or what prerogatives and authoritie the King had allowed him from the beginning if all be employed and referred to this maine end all is well and the Government good otherwise it doth regenerate and may be corrected however it began Fourthly the naturall end of Government needs not be set downe in a written convention or compact as some * Consc satisfied Sect. 3. would have it For beside that when Government began in most Nations they had no writing at all It is impossible to imagine or conceive that reasonable creatures should submit themselves to the rule and command of others for no end or any other end beside their owne good This cannot then but be supposed in all Governments though no such convention appeare in writing Fifthly if this end be disappointed and they which have authoritie and power given them by the people for the peoples good impugne crosse and hinder the same by spoyling oppressing and destroying them that power and authoritie ceaseth ipso facto there needeth no resuming of it as some would have For being given in relation to an end that end failing the meanes do fall of themselves Nor can it be supposed that any reasonable creatures would give authoritie and power against themselves and to their owne hurt or intended at first to continue the same to their owns destruction which was given only for their defence and preservation It fares too often with States as with the Horse in the Fable Non Equitem dors● non froe●um depulit ore He took the saddle for defence But hath been jaded ever since Men are not tyed to the ordinarie Law of Horses but if Bellerophon will drive his Pegasus up to Heaven an unnaturall course Pegasus may be bold to turne off his Rider upon the earth Sixtly the peoples safety being the end of all just Governments if that should be invaded by the Governours or Kings themselves whom they have trusted over them some meanes must needs be allowed them to preserve and recover the s●me Otherwise mankind may easily be frustrated by fraude or violence of the maine end for the preserving whereof they subjected themselves to Rulers and that without all remedy which as I conceive ought not to be supposed Now in such Kingdomes or Governments as have Parliaments Diets and such full Assemblies of the States these meanes of preserving Salus Populi are more plaine easie and expedite then elsewhere because such generall Assemblies can both judge truly of such wrongs and breach of common Liberties and readily provide remedies for the same both which are more slowly and hardly done where such publike Assemblies are wanting and therefore they be much more subject to tyrannies and oppressions then the others are But whensoever it appears unto the Kingdome or Bodie of the people clearly that the Governours in stead of procuring their good and safety do spoile and oppresse them as the obligation of rule and and subjection is presently void the end failing upon which it was grounded so they have liberty to provide for their owne welfare either by reforming what was amisse or by limiting and qualifying the Authority and Prerogitives of those Rulers or removing that Government or those evill Governours in case of extreame necessity and placing others is more hopefull meanes for the publike good In all which they may lawfully make use of their owne Strength Power and Armes or any other as occasion shall require For that the chiefe end of all Government ought not to be frustrated and dis-appointed D. Fearne argues because elect Monarches did succeed Paternall Government therefore they succeeded in the same right and condition free from coertion and removalls as fathers were and so meant under the names of fathers in the fift Commandement But how followes it because they followed Fathers therefore they did follow in the same condition every way Fathers have a naturall obligation and a naturall affection strangers have not so Fathers have no other Interest but their childrens good strangers have no it is certaine that never Fathers had any jurisdiction and power of the sword or if ever they had and grew tyrannous it s as certaine their children might cast off their Government though not their Fatherhood As for the fift Commandement it belongs no more to Kings then other Governours yea and Teachers Masters and other Superiours whereof none so unmovable as Parents Seventhly and last of all That end must regulate * Reckerm System Log. lib. 1. cap. 18. Canon 4. de fine ult ex Aristot Polit. 1 6. de Caelo 2. ● 74 all the meanes so as they may best conduce for the attaining of the same The King then being but a meanes his Authoritie and Power must be regulated accordingly as the people shall think meetest for their owne safety and therefore in our State as the Kingdom or people have 1. Intrusted their King with the cha●ge of seeing the Lawes executed and obeyed which are provided for their safety so they have given Authority to the Parliament by a neerer trust both to devise and make new Lawes abrogating the unusefull and declaring the doubtfull and obscure with the Kings consent in all who is the chiefe Minister in executing the same 2 So likewise to visit and correct all abuses in the State yea to examine the Kings owne proceedings whether he hath rightly discharged his