Selected quad for the lemma: nation_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nation_n	lord_n	mountain_n	top_n	1,666	5	9.5413	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81741	The northern subscribers plea, vindicated from the exceptions laid against it by the non-subscribing ministers of Lancashire and Cheshire, and re-inforced by J. Drew. Published according to order.	Drew, John, fl. 1649-1651.	1651 (1651)	Wing D2165; Thomason E638_11; ESTC R206635	62,703	75

hath lifted them up as wel as cast them downe here are many of Sions complaints and lamentations gathered together and it were easie for us to collect as large a bundle of her Hymns Hallelujahs and triumphant Exaltations when God has given her the necks of her enemies to tread upon but these gleanings on either hand only shew how and in what manner God dealt with his people at such and such seasons Heb. 3.1 calling them to Songs upon Sigionoth sometimes to rejoycing sometimes to ejaculation they only prove that it has been thus from the beginning but are not standing or perpetuall rules of Divine administrations towards the godly nor prove that it shall be so unto the end if we looke upon those gracious promises drawing to the birth in these latter dayes we may conclude Zion shall be comforted according to the times wherein she has knowne adversity and that she shall not be troden under foot still of the wicked so that prevailency and outward illustriousnesse though Characters of the wicked race till their day be done shall Characterize the Generation of the just when their day begins and the acceptable yeare is proclaimed The Sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee saith the Lord and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves downe at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Zion of the holy one of Israel whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee I will make thee an eternall Excellency a joy of many Generations Isa 60.14 15. And it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the mountaine of the Lords House shall be established upon the top of the mountaines and shall be exalted above the hils and all Nations shall flow unto it Isa 2.2 And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall bee given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Dan. 7.27 What though prosperity spake against the Church of old may it not therefore now speak for it an argument from this Topick viz. successefull providence is of that purport and force in these daies of ours which it was not of in ancient times t is very considerable in our case now those promises are fullfilling though when they were but in making it lookt another way yea t is a thriving argument and will gather yet more strength and weight in favour of the Church before it come into the mouthes of our children Had these Ministers but heapt together as many promises of what the Churches condition shall be and which we see have taken effect in some comfortable degree as they have done testimonies of what its lot was of old it is likely they would have seene they have very little ground for such an odious untheologicall insinuation as that of theirs in this paragraph is viz. That the mighty presence of God with his Saints and Servants who bend themselves against the usurpations of Antichrist and labour his dethronment in these dayes is no otherwise to be accounted of then his providences towards the Babylonian Seleucidan and Roman Tyrants were of old in effecting their enslavements of his Church and chosen Now to goe forward In driving on their Answer to that use wee make of providence a little further they charge us as counterfeiters of the broad se ale of heaven by making that a signe of Gods mind which he never instituted to that purpose but presumption is a groundlesse charge we have told them once and againe and now tell them once for all it is Heterodoxie in our judgements to affirm that the Lord hath ordained Providences and prevailing successes * Yet see what single providence once did Jona 1.15 16. solitarily to nolifie his approving or dis-approving will yet providence in conjunction with the word gives effectuall notice and sound conviction yea the Lord many times by Providence alone gives a check to the censorious and unadvised harshnes of mens spirits against a people or cause Dan. 3.25 26. and boring through their propositions makes way for a more impartiall judgement and charitable perswasion in them Pauls shaking the Viper off his hand without harme Act. 28.6 made the Barbarians think otherwise of him then before thus crosse and adverse providences in a good cause strike many heart-searchings Jos 7.8 and staggerings into the stablest and best ballanced leaders Lord saith Joshua what shall I say when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies successe hath light as wel as heat and comfort in it to Gods people and adverse occurrences darknesse as well as trouble the Lambes conquering the Kingdomes of the World will so cleare the promises that all Nations shall come to the brightnesse of Zions rising Christ gets up to his Throne by pulling downe the Principalities and Thrones of others present proprietors no doubt Hag. 2.21 22. and if prevailencie helpe not the Sons of men in discerning his title to dominion the promises of his successe such is the hardnesse of mens hearts must stand still for Cyphers and 't is to us altogether inconceiveable Si prae scriptio malefida in omni foro procedat how he will ever finde a vacant or empty Throne upon the earth or how he shall get possession of what his Father has given him if his way be not made by notable shakings See Mr. Owen's Sermon on Heb. 12.26 27. and translations of the customes and the constitutions of Governments in the World A dead woman saith the Proverbe will not be carried out of her house under foure men Their comparison betwixt Providence as we use it Pag. 14. and Lot seemes to us a very poore one we never looked at Providence as an Ordinance of God for the determining a Right but seeing the hand of the Almighty in important events we think our selves bound to acknowledge it and to conclude as much from it as his Word will give us leave which in a righteous cause amounts to a testimony that he ownes it if he favours and more then ordinarily succeeds the managers of it for God is in the Generation of the just Psal 14.5 Psal 41.11 And by this I know saith David thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me if the Army have tempted God by casting themselves upon Providence and by their appeales to his Majesty in courses injustifiable as they here tell us we shal in no case stand by them but leave them as they desire to be left even to him that judgeth righteously their sinne no doubt shall finde them out and are there not with us even with us sinnes against the Lord our God 2 Chron. 28.10 In the next place they thus documentize us the argument from Providence is ab eventu or from the issue of a thing they then

THE Northern Subscribers Plea Vindicated FROM The Exceptions laid against it by the Non-subscribing Ministers of Lancashire and Cheshire AND REINFORCED By J. DREW ACT. 5.38 39. If this Counsell or if this Worke be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God yee cannot overthrow it least happily ye bee found even to fight against God GAL. 2.18 If I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressour Dic quibus in terris eris mihi magnus Apollo Nascantur flores inscripti nomina Regum Virg. Eclog. Published according to Order LONDON Printed by R.I. to be sold by John Wright at the Kings head in the Old Bayley MDCLI ERRATA BEsides some litterall Errours and false pointings in these Sheets Page 2. line 2. read by these l. 22. r. have Pag. 3. l. 4. r flowing Pag. 4. l. 12. r. pouring Pag. 6. l. 15. put out some Pag. 7. l. 13. r. as to the meanes c. pag. 15. l. 7. put out or a naturall existence Pag. 19. l. 15. r. exultations l. 19. r. ejulation Pag. 20. l 18. put out they have l. 33. r. notifie l. 38. r. prepossessions Pag. 29. l. 24. r. What they non-will they never understand Pag. 30. l. 22. r. dispossessed power l. 35. r. charge Pag. 32. l. 5. r. our Pag. 44. l. 19. for vainely r. unjustly Pag. 54. l. 29. for nothing r. not King Pag. 59. l. 1. put out not Pag. 67. l. 26. r. falling out TO THE Truly Religious and publique-spirited Patriot Sir James Harington Knight A Member of PARLIAMENT and of the Councell of STATE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honoured Sir IT might be judged my folly should I here take upon me to informe you My forgetfulnesse if I should mind you that it is the commendation of those starres fixt in the Heavens of the Nations in the most anomalous times to know no Eccentricks nor any motion but what is direct As the fining pot for silver Prov. 17.21 and the furnace for gold so is a man to his praise To be upright in a warping Generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.15 Numb 4.24 and to follow the Lord wholly argues that nature and spirit in the subject which act 's few of Adams children and indulgeth no compliance with those interests which draw men aside from serving the counsell of God in difficult and criticall seasons There is an houre of temptation now come upon the world to try them that dwell upon the earth and what with the divine providences really disserving the ends of some men and the pretences of others to conscientious dissatisfactions such a number have shrunk from their high callings Psal 90.17 that could not the mighty God do his own work by a few as well as by many wee might sit down and dispaire the establishing what by his presence for many years with our counsels and Armies hee had in mercy wrought for us 1 Sam. 12 22. but the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased him to make them his people Sir That this God would continue you among the rest of his called and chosen and faithfull Ones a blessing to this poore Nation that hee would make you an honour to your honourable family and accepted of the multitude of your Brethren Esth 10.3 as hee who sought the wealth of his people and spake peace to all his seed that hee would perfect your joy and crown and enable you to stand compleat in all his will that an entrance may be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is that which he strives for at the Throne of Grace who is Sir Your servant indeed J. DREW The Northerne Subscribers Plea re-inforc'd THese Conscientious Non-subscribers who in the Title Page of their Plea beare the World in hand that they much desire satisfaction and in the entry of their Appendix seeme to be very eager of it by pointing out an expedite way to those who may please to undertake the businesse That it may yet further appeare it was not a desire to contend but a care to proceed upon a cleare ground which put them to a stand about the Engagement yet these very men tell us betwixt their * Fronti nulla fides Juv. Title and the Appendix viz. Pag. 68. That now it would be construable those courses even all endeavours after their satisfaction are held to defend themselves who are pre-engaged and to decoy others into the same trap with them rather then to satisfie Conscience dashing downe at once by this profession of their thoughts all their pretences to satisfaction as men resolved to fasten the designe of deceiving as an odious Vizzard upon the most brotherly and Christian intendments and essayes that can be drawne from any man to that end like those Prisoners who passionately desiring a release yet out of a sullen or a jealous temper doe avowedly interpret every mans endeavour to that purpose as a designe upon them to make them greater slaves Prepossession is a very tough and intractable humor and Apologies sometimes harden and inrage the persecutors of innocency Why what evill hath he done saith Pilate and they cryed out the more exceedingly crucifie him Mark 15.14 Now although upon this account it may be thought too late or to little purpose to emit any Plea for the satisfaction of dissenting Consciences in point of submission to the powers in being over us yet that we may not be wanting to our owne Consciences or the submitting Consciences of our friends in justifying their submission as conscionable indeed we thinke our selves bound to take the weight of those exceptions laid against our Plea by those Classicall Authors as turning the ballance clearly in their esteeme against that obedience which we contended for as due from us to the present Authority we then profest not to undertake the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan satisfying of Consciences Pag. 13. our end was to acquit our selves from the imputations of time-serving and ‖ Nil-bonum nisi quod rationabiliter bonum Jo. 13.17 blinde obedience in owning or taking part with those few heads and stayes of our Tribes kept together by the Providence of God for our support in this strait of time those few graines not ‖ Amos 9.9 fallen to the earth in this season of our Nations sifting that it might not be presumed or concluded as commonly it useth to be that there is little conscience in any saving in those who put themselves on the suffering side seeing men generally at a losse we made search after our duties and then made * Intellecta licet pro re pro tempore fari Mant. knowne to the world that we found upon search to have influence on our Consciences how farre these undertaker● have weakned our Plea as to its essentials who thinke they have driven conscience and reason

towards a conclusion we shall briefly vindicate what we sub-joyned in our Plea for the clearing our Averment touching the alterablenesse of that Declaration 1646. viz. The obligation of a promise must needs cease if the state of things and persons be so altered as that in the judgement of wise men those who promised or declared ought cannot be thought to have willed the including such or such an event in the promise Here say they is a little missing the marke Answer Not of the marke we aimed at the frame of that objection to which in our Plea we undertooke a reply forcing us to speake both to the Parliaments interpretation of the Covenant in reference to Kingly power and likewise to their Promise that they would maintain the government of the Nation by King Lords and Commons as to the former of these we affirme that no postnate interpretation that may be suppos'd to have more or lesse in it then the letter of a Covenant can be reasonably imposed upon the conscience neither do we see cause to judge that the Parliament by their above named Declaration intended to elucidate or interpret the letter of the Covenant To the latter we say that although such and such things were declared for yet declarations as they here acknowledge are alterable pro re nata and therefore are of no perpetuall obligation Let us hear what they say to our reason or evidence brought to prove this viz. The obligation of a promise must needs cease if the state of things and persons be c. after a distinction premised to very little purpose about * Touching their instance in the case of the Gibeonites Jos 9. see Ames Cas consc l. 4. cap. 22. Quest 9. particular and generall willing the inclusion of an event in any promise they come to this conclusion Such events as may make the performing of the promise a sinne in the Promiser infringe the obligation these in the judgements of wise men are deem'd to be excluded to the Promiser but the event brought in by us as falling out in the Parliaments case viz. The Kings implacability and inexoriblenesse as we grosly enough stile it they say is not to be ranged amongst events of that nature they might have performed their promise without sinne and it seemes they did intend to include the Kings persistency thus they mollifie our expression not excepting against it after severall of those addresses made to him divers of them before the Covenant most of them before the Declaration April 17. 1646. so that the greatest part of his persistency was precedent to the making some of those promises c. Ans 1. If after all their experience had of the Kings presistency in a ruining way and all their hopes of bowing him to a complyance with their just desires extinct the House of Lords by their delayes and Negatives in matters of highest moment making it appeare too that they drew the same way with him if after these sad experiences the Parliament had sacrific'd the peace and welfare of the Nation to the interests of King and Lords we cannot but deeme it had been a very sinfull thing a betraying their trust a ruining the Nation a giving us up to a seven-times worse slavery then at their first convention they found us in and we can see nothing here alledged by these Divines though we looke longly for it to perswade us of the contrary they only say it had not been matter of sinne in the Commons to have made good that Declaration of which we are speaking but for this we want evidence 2 The Kings persistency in his way was that very event which put the Commons out of a capacity or possibility of serving the Publique with his advancement an event to be wondred at by all wise men Declar. of March 17. 1648. and therefore in the judgements of wise men not includible in the promise The Commons themselves tell us that upon their making that Declaration they were confident the King would have conformed himselfe to the desires of his people in Parliament and that the Peers who remained with the Parliament would have been a great cause of his so doing and therefore certainly they intended not to include his presistency or the House of Lords declining the publique cause in their promise Si aliquid incautius aliquem j●●●sse contigerit quod observatum inpejorē vergat exitum illud salubri consilio mutandum noverimus c. Soter Epist ad Episc Ital. Charsum Concil Ann. 163 Concil Toler 8. Can. 2. we conceive they were not bound at that instant expresly to except these events they shewed what their exception was very reasonably when after all their fruitlesse endeavours to win the King they voted no more addresses to him peradventure this vote is interpreted one of the Parliaments swervings from their principles which these Ministers minde us of but we cannot so judge of it that principle which respects the Kings Person and Authority having an expresse condition joyned with it ever since the Covenant was entr●d into therefore for ought we know they might have voted no more addresses sooner then they did that famous and safe limitation saving the Covenant harmlesse had they done so and the emergency of an event as if confest a warranting the change of Lawes and Declarations may justifie the Commons in receding from what they had declared about governing the Nation by King Lords and Commons yet these assaylants have not done with us but ere they leave us will get betwixt the joynts of our harnesse by a pretty sleight blow a pure subtilty the Kings inexorablenesse was not any change say they but a going on in the way he was when the promise was made and therefore cannot be urged truly as a change of a person or thing to release the Parliament of their promise in his behalfe truly this is subtile nihil for we must tell them that as to our case in the judgement of wise men there is not any imaginable difference betwixt the failing of an event fully and confidently expected and the failing out of an event utterly unexpected the Kings flexiblenesse was the event confidently presumed and made the ground of what was declared concerning him by the Parliament and his not changing to their minde together with the House of Peers changing from their mindes viz. their sence may be tollerably called a change of Persons subverting the foundation of that promise the one not doing what was expected the other doing what was not expected but the King was not so stiffe as is pretended it seemes for he did not hold out after seaven addresses We suppose say they that Treaty at Newport was one of the seaven no Sirs it was the eighth Declar. March 17. 1648 p. 12. if they keep a true account who declare it so to the whole world neither was he then inexorable but contrarily yeelded to more then had been desired of him in former