Selected quad for the lemma: nation_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nation_n	king_n	people_n	samuel_n	1,198	5	10.5950	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48309	A discovrse concerning Puritans tending to a vindication of those, who unjustly suffer by the mistake, abuse, and misapplication of that name.	Parker, Henry, 1604-1652.; Ley, John, 1583-1662.	1641 (1641)	Wing L1876; ESTC R212712	47,271	67

shun this rocke of violent counsell against a people violently inraged and aggrieved Some men have interpreted the designes of the Scots to have been treasonable from the beginning and wholy bent upon the spoyle and havocke of the English Nation from their first stirring Others have wholly justified their intentions and proceedings hitherto as defensive only and inforced by necessity both these I conceive are too rash and head-long in their guesses In so great a body of men there must needs be variety of opinions and its likely contrariety of affections and therefore it behoves the King to be the more tender moderate and circumspect in his deliberations as well for the one side as the other especially since the Scots have not evidently and universally as yet declared themselves for the worse We may at once be charitable in hoping the best and wise withall in preventing the worst nay a charitable and sweet demeanor if it be not too fond may prove a great part of our prevention doubtlesse Rehoboam himselfe had he not been wilfully devoted to yong rash and violent Counsellors might have easily retained within his obedience many of his well-meaning Subjects and reclaimed others of more moderation and by that meanes have divided and dissipated the most obstinate headstrong and furious of all the rebellious party Some Princes thinke themselves bound in Honour to do unwise things and this was the error of Rehoboam his aged Counsellours advised him to that which was most politick concluding that to be most honourable but his Genius rather led him according to the advise of his young Gallants to conclude that most politick which to his haughty stomack seemed most honorable but what was the event to avoid the scorn of young men he incurred the scorn of old men to avoid the unjust censure of fooles he incurred the just censure of wise men to gaine the honor of appearing stout he purchased the dishonour of being rash to shew a contempt of danger he made himself a prey to it rather then to decline a blow by a gentle bowing of his body he yeelded himself to be inevitably oppressed by it At this time of revolt the Israelites were not so wicked as their revolt after made them it may be so with the Scots they are yet Protestants and perhaps may be retained so and who can thinke of Protestants that so great a body of them can at one fall so desperately tumble into the depth of mischiefe as to make Fasting Praying Oaths and Sacraments meere instruments and traines to commit murther theft sacriledge treason and the most unnaturall of all crying crimes But to returne to our owne Nation and what we suffer by our owne Divine Manwarings Doctrine is common at Court and 't is not long since a Byshops Chaplaine in Tearme-time challenged a Iudge of Treason for delivering Law according to conscience And this is now no prodigie for Pulpits are not publike enough to preach an unlimitable prerogative in 't is fit our learned Doctors should mount the Benches of Iustice also there to advance Logicke instead of Law for Law is growne injurious to Princes and smels ranke of Puritanisme Divines themselves will loose nothing to Princes but all other men shall that they may gaine the more and neither Lawyers nor States-men must direct them in any thing but both Lawyers and States-men must be directed by them in all things but let us a little examine how the conditionate and absolute formes of government come within the circle of Theologie The Israelites were governed by Monarchs but not all alike absolute The Patriarchs were not so absolute as the Iudges nor the Iudges as the Kings nor the Kings as those Heathen Emperours which at last made them tributary The due of Caesar and the due of Solomon and the due of Samuel and the due of Jacob was not the same as to all points of State or all degrees of Royalty and yet the nation was the same and the forme of government still remained the same viz. monarchicall It should seeme that God approved that degree of Soveraignty best which was by himselfe setled in the person of Moses for when that people afterwards desired a King of a more awfull and large prerogative in imitation of other Nations the thing displeased God Samuel also wrote a book of this subject shewing the just conditions of Regall power the losse whereof is much to be lamented for if it had been Gods will that all Kings should be equally absolute in all respects and free from all limitations and obligations alike Samuel needed to have written little thereof one word had determined all But in Scripture as it now remaines Samuels booke being not extant our chiefest light and guide now is by example not rule and example we finde very various The State and Soveraignty of the Jewish Kings in generall we find mild and gratious but much differing in particulars Solomon was heavy over his Subjects and under his Son they would not beare the like yet Solomons pressure was not upon the estates of his Subjects by taxes and impositions for He made silver in Jerusalem as stones for plenty nor did He vex their persons by Military hazzards and services for He was at peace with all the world Neither did He any way let fall or lessen their honour amongst other Nations He made them rather a spectacle of glory and prosperity to the world Solomons harshnesse was onely in imploying so great multitudes for his own pompous attendance and for the performance of such publike workes and structures as did tend to the Magnificence and beauty of the State Besides Scripture does not satisfie us neither by rule nor example whether Kings ought to be successive alwayes or elective or whether primogeniture of Males or unigeniture of Daughters ought to take place many things are left so uncertaine that it is not alwayes safe for Kings wholly to rely upon examples and for the rule of obedience it is generall and no more advantagious for free Monarchs than conditionate Potentates no more for supreame than subordinate commanders The Law of Nature best determines that all Princes being publike Ministers for the common good that their authority ought to be of sufficient latitude for that common good and since Scripture is not expresse concerning that latitude as to all people the same not being to all alike necessary the severall Laws of severall Countries best teach that certaine latitude I could wish therefore that Princes herein would not so much consult with Divines as Lawyers or rather with Parliaments which are the grand Courts and Counsells of Kingdomes for as Cotton saies Every man in particular may deceive and be deceived but no man can deceive all nor can all deceive one Ancient times are not precedentary to ours by any necessity for Lawes are now more learned exact and particular and Courts and Tables of Iustice and Policy are more wisely and methodically composed and elected then they were