Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A41032
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The fanatick in his colours, or, The rise, heighth, and fall of faction and rebellion, from 1648 unto 1661 with an appendix concerning allegiance, government and order / by T.F.
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T. F.
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1661
(1661)
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Wing F61; ESTC R7145
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34,435
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112
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By an immediate nomination from God 2. An election of the People the former is ceas'd the later hath been found dangerous 3. A succession of Blood as when this Honour comes of Blood and one Prince is born of another this is more usuall and in appearance Lips Pol. l. 2. c. 4. Tacitus 2. Hist the better because there is less danger in acceptation then in the election of a Prince and it hinders commotions when the change of things gives opportunity to great and strange attempts and disheartens the hopes of ambitious persons In corrupt Monarchy there can be but one Tyrant when they are assured they cannot succeed and as Kingly government is best so this is the best and safest way For Aristocracy In Aristocracy more then one which is the government by the Nobility as in the Signory of Venice and Democracy which is In Democracy many popular and consists of many as of Genoa and Cantons of the Switzers have their inconveniencies and those no small ones the former through covetuousness ambition cruelty of the persons turns In Anarchy all are Tyrants to Tyranny for as Maecenas saith the State of a few Lords is the State of Tyrants The other is converted into a licentious liberty and is much subject to alterations through its inconstancy the truth of this we have lately seen by sad experience so that Kingly government is the best more the Authority greater the obedience fewer their determinations firmer their Councels speedier their resolutitions and more prompt the execution of their designs It is best first because the most ancient all Nations of former Ages did first Cic. 3. deleg Salus Cat. yeild obedience unto Kings and this government was first spread on the earth in the beginning of things the dominion of Countries and Nations was in the hands of Justin l. 1. Kings 2. Most agreeable to nature and this other living creatures teach in whom we may behold this Image of government Amongst the Cranes there is Dux a Captain in a flock of Sheep a Leader amongst Birds the Eagle amongst Beasts the Lion amongst Serpents the Basilisk amongst Fishes the Whale amongst Bees the master Bee the Pismires have their governours the Grashoppers go forth by bands and hath not God who hath made an order in nature made a chief Supreme amongst men without doubt and it concerns the common quiet of all Lips Pol. l. 2. c. 2. that all Authority be given to one the power of many and concord can never long dwell together and there is no better remedie to appease discords and dissentions then by men submitting to the govenment of one 3. It consenteth most with reason the body is ruled by one soul and cometh neerest to unity and hath similitude with what is divine Per me Reges regnant per me Principes imperant by me Kings rule and Princes decree justice 4. It is most lasting and durable freest from faction confusion and tyranny for whereas no Aristocraticall or popular State hath lasted longer then six hundred years and few so long many Monarchys have continued twice as long in the same estate I mean not an absolute Monarchy for command is a mad man and power lunatique but such as must be tyed to the Laws as far forth as it is comprehended under the Law have the advice of sound Judgments in their undertakings therefore this Kingdom is happy in its constitution not shufled into a popular government nor cut in pieces by a headless head-strong Aristocracy 5. T' is the most flourishing for never came Rome to be Mistress of the world till she was reduced to a Monarchy in the times of Aug. Caesar And now for answer to some 2. Object Answ Fanatick spirits let me tell them First that the spirituall Kingdom Christs kingdom and Caesars distinct of the Church and the civil kingdom of Caesar are distinct and separate each of them being included in his bounds may not enter upon the borders of the other the Scripture shews evidently that The one abrogates not the other the Kingdom of Christ abrogates not the kingdom of Caesar but that the Gospel is a good friend to kingdoms teaching Princes how to govern and the people how to be subject It was a question propounded to our Saviour Mat. 22. 17. Is it lawfull to give tribute unto Caesar or no he replies v. 21. Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods This I adde to confute their madness that say We own no King but Jesus whether this be more impotence or impudence I will not dispute the best conviction is the Magistrates power who bears not the sword in vain Others say Kings stand not 2. Ob. with the peoples liberty thus did Corah and his Complices Num. 16. The language of some men amongst us Kings stand with liberty 3. they said unto Moses and Aaron you take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is amongst them wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the congregation of the Lord But how is this act esteemed to be a gathering together against the Lord a murmuring against God v. 11. as it was not ordinary they did not dye an ordinary death 29 30 31. The Argument here used is sottish and seditious must one that is holy have none to be over him may there be no Magistrate where the people are all Saints Vaine men St. Peter saith omnis anima let every Soul be subject not all Saints onely but all Souls must be subject to the higher powers he that will say with the sons of Belial who is Saul that we should serve him will ask also with the Atheists who is the Almighty that Jobe 26. we should serve him Libertines plead Christian liberty it frees them from this bondage of obeying Kings Foolish men Kings crave not bondage but ingenuous Then liberty and obedience to Kings are consistent subjection not servitude but obedience Good subjects are not Tributaryes but contributaryes their taxes not forced exactions but ingenuous grants Not constrained but of conscience Rom. 13. 5. Away then with those discontented and Rebellious spirits that grudge him his outward rights whether tributes of money or Attributes of supremacy And fly off in a rage what Portion have we in Charles Let such enemies perish and upon his owne head let his Crowne flourish May not the Scepter depart from Jacob nor a seed from his loynes till Shiloh come againe let his Posterity have a Crowne on Earth when himselfe hath a Crowne in Heaven It is not the name of a King a nominal King that I commend unto you like those sometimes in France who had nothing but the bare name preter nomen nihil Nor like the King of Samaria who was no more but paululum Spumae a frothy bubble I speake of one who is great in name in
the eyes of others Our Soveraign will be a Constantine an Arcadius and a Theodosius to his Church a shield for their defence and protection scutum Christianorum the buckler of his people as Plutarch called Fabius In vita Marcelli Max. scutum Romanorum the target of the Romans Rulers are called shields Hos 4. 18. Her shields love to say Give ye a Tyrant is a Butcher to his people but a good King a Buckler 5. You may receive assurance from his tenderness of spirit towards the oppressed and afflicted The wisest King that ever was complains of a mighty oppression that he beheld the tears of the innocent and they had no Comforter Eccles 4. 1. The first words of the first King Kings must be nursing fathers not cursing Tyrants Deliverers not devourers whom God chose for his people were these What aileth the people that they weep 1 Sam. 2. 5. Kings are Gods Lievtenants and as they assume the name of gods so they ought to have the property not to pill and poll their subjects but to be nursing fathers Alphonsus King Is 49. 23. of Naples used this Embleme A Pelican feeding her young with her own blood and the Motto Pro rege pro grege Achilles in Homer Iliad l. 9. is said to love his countreymen as the carefull bird her unfeathered brood The gratious Apothegme of our noble Soveraign King James to his son Henry is worthy to be written in letters of gold Basil Dor. l. 2. p. 99. and will not be forgotten by his grandchild who treasures every lesson that be speaks his subjects good Enrich not your self with exactions upon your subjects but think the riches of your people your best treasure We have seen and heard of some lately that were so cruel and incompassionate as if the Rocks had fathered them and the Wolves of the Wilderness had given them suck there being no other comfort to the oppressed then that advice Albertus Craucius gave to Luther when he thought a reformation impossible Frater frater abi in cellam ibi dic miserere mei Deus Brother brother go into thy cell and do no more but sigh and say Lord have mercy on me Was it not too common to stop innocency in the mouth with disaffection and a true lover of the kingdom with the odious name of a Cavalier for so they intended it and so I find it used above thirty six years ago Bark on the 6. Com. pag. 246. by which means it came to pass that Justice was suspended and the innocent became a prey to cunning subtile Foxes who Proteus-like could transform themselves into any shape as the Devil into Sauls mantle or into an Angel of light grieved hearts had never more cause to say and sadly to complain Mundum dolens circuivi fidem undique quaesivi c. Men were used as Vetronius Thurnius used Alexander Severus his poor suppliants The Author had sadly experimented it for seven years to kill them with lingering excuses and delayes and by their cunning subtilty to decline the force of any just and reasonable request rendering the lives of many uncomfortable to themselves and a burthen to others Worse then the unjust Judge or Gallio Act. 18. Now can it be imagined by any sober discreet persons that our gratious Soveraign who hath been so sorely afflicted almost from his infancy undergone the contradictions of men scorns contempts revilings hath drunk deep of the cup of His sufferings unexpressible by any Pen. persecution beheld with a sad heart the horrible oppressions committed in this Land and cruelties exercised against persons of all ranks to the violation of divine and humane Laws I say it cannot be imagined that he can want the bowels of compassion towards the oppressed and afflicted besides there is not any thing more repeated in Scripture Psal 12. 5. Psal 72. 2. Exod. 3. 7 8. in which the King is very conversant then the particular care which God whom he owns for his and whose Lievtenant he is hath of the oppressed and when God is a patern it is safe following by this he will be immortalized and his throne surely established Prov. 29. 14. the King that faithfully judgeth the poor his throne shall Over you in dignity For you for profit be established for ever and such a King you may be assured of who knows he is not onely over you but for you 6. You may be assured from his Majesties constancy in Religion wounded with the sword of manifold temptations being sorely thrust at that he might fall she that made the Kings of the earth Rev. 17. 2. drunk with the Wine of fornication could not make him drink the least drop but continued in the faith grounded and settled not moved from the hope of the Gospel such a constancy appeared Col. 1. 23. in his royall Majesty that neither temptations on one hand threatenings on the other the graceless behaviour of his subjects and undutifull dealing from Pretended Professors but reall Atheists those of the same Profession could in the least shake his faith the God of constancy working this grace in his royall heart and giving him this comfort in his saddest and darkest night of troubles that he who trusteth in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be removed Psal 125. 1. but standeth fast for ever he knew irresolution unsteadiness hatefull to his Master Christ who is Heb. 13. 8. semper idem ever the same he is of a noble and uncommon nature it being the property of the double-minded man to be unstable in all his wayes Christian James 1. 8. Religion is a Ring and the Diamond of this Ring is Constancy Vincenti dabitur that wears the Crown Some are ever turning till nothing be left but to turn Turk Some have derived sanctum quasi sancitum an established nature and such is his royall Majesties who hath remained unmov'd unshaken and would not lose his conscience to gain three kingdoms nor forsake that Religion in which his father dyed a Martyr I will upon this occasion adde one thing onely to the perpetuall honour of Englands Kings Constantine the great our Countrey-man was the first Christian Emperor Lucius our Countrey-man the first christened King Henry the 8th the first that shak'd off the Popes unlimited power King James the first of his rank who opposed Antichrist with his One terms him hujus seculi miraculum own Pen Charles the first through the inhumanity of a bloody sort of people because he would not betray the liberty of his Subjects to the lust and ambition of Tyrants the first martyr'd King a glorious Where true faith is there is true martyrdom This red must be grounded on white King candidatus innocentia purpuratus martyrio white and red white by his sanctity in his life red by his martyrdom in death and our gratious King Charles the second though Deo secundus