Selected quad for the lemma: power_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A42953
|
The demeanour of a good subject in order to the acquiring and establishing peace
|
Goodwin, Thomas, 1586 or 7-1642.
|
1681
(1681)
|
Wing G975; ESTC R22752
|
33,660
|
45
|
are its Enemies Peace is his desire his delight and glory the end of all his Actions the emblem of his Eternal recompence his Heaven upon Earth And this no corrupt minds can truly rejoyce in they may peradventure be pleased with it for a time but are soon glutted with its pleasures and stores grow insolent and kick at her Blessings But good men cannot surseit upon her favours though abundantly satisfied with them For in sound minds the same plenty be getteth desire which in depraved groweth to an abhorrency Neither can Peace be obtained by evil or unstable men any more then continue by them when it is in their power to disturb it For the Sacred Oracle declaring that there is no peace to the wicked they certainly can never give that to others which they cannot procure for themselves or brook in others So that to be able to rejoyce in Peace every man must conform to a Virtuous Life and be wife with Sobriety For vitious living enclineth men to anger suspitions and all sorts of unruly courses and generally begetteth in them an over-value of their own Judgments and Abilities which hath been sadly experienced in some of the great Debauches of our times Some men again well deserving and who have been long known to govern themselves in the proper rules of this Joy have at length become too apprehensive of being useful and thereby have ceased to become Good Subjects a proud confidence destroying that Loyalty which had been admirably excellent had it continued among the works and labours of Love Because they hear that well doing deserveth a reward they wrong their judgments in reaching at an immature one and too much discover a long concealed malignity in their minds which hath disturbed their Joy although without publick observation For where there are illegitimate hopes there must be sometimes great fears which as we see break out into disorders and are ever disturbing the contentment of the Soul which by well doing only should be kept in tranquility The Pious satisfaction of Gods great favour in hearing the cries of his afflicted people and restoring to us our Dread Soveraign in Peace and the virtuous care of continuing this mercy certainly mind nothing but God and the Kings ' approbation If these performances observed produce any further Grace it is venerably received not as a recompence but a Princely condescention and Bounty Good Mephibosheths Loyalty is an incomparable pattern who was so truly glad of his Princes Return that the Joy was to him a Possession for other things he careth not but saith Calumniating Ziba Yea let him take all forasmuch as my Lord the King is come again in Peace But some of the great pretender to Loyalty have stained the glorious repute which they had gotten at a most foolish rate For where the King hath been pleased to accept the Services of some Subjects and to signalize them with grants of eminent Indulgences they who were profitable Servants became foolish Favourites and what they have industriously managed to their Princes advantage in an Inferior Station their Pride hath ruined in advancement For wanting continence in elated Fortunes they though their Deeds merit not Duty and judging themselves such men of excellence that the Scepter could not be weilded without their councell they have presumed to act above the condition of Subjects forgetting their Original and the Humility which gave their Honour a Being And these were so far from following Mephibosheth's example of leaving all for Joy that they have thought nothing sufficient reward which accumulative liberality hath laid upon them And indeed herein the strength of their judgments met with the severest tryal For they who could laudably sustain and overcome the sharpest adversities have been drawn into a snare by the blandishments of Fortune and their Fortitude being eneruated by her leniments she hath led them about as the most ridiculous Captives So easily are heedless men divested of their Joy in the midst of their Triumphs by yielding to the beginning of temptations of making reward the chief inducement to Loyalty CHAP. VIII No Considerations of past or ensuing damages which have or may accrew to him do hinder this Joy in a Good Subject TRue Loyalty is so little swayed by interest that it is its own contentment and rejoyceth in the King's Peace for God his Church and Peoples sake looking for no reward beyond self satisfaction The excellency of the Example biddeth me again repeat it and make Remarques upon the sacred History or Mephibosheth He was the Son of Saul as the Holy Text speaketh it in the relation of that action more observably yet came down with an unparallel'd Joy to meet King David returning from Exilement This Mephibosheth was Heir Apparent to the Crown of Israel as it respecteth the House of Saul being the Son of Jonathan Saul's eldest Son Neither the reflections upon his disinherison not withstanding his Title by a most direct descent nor David's preceipitate dispossessing him of his Lands upon the false accusations of Ziba his servant before he had liberty to answer for himself did any thing prevail with him to lessen his affections to the King or his gladness that he was returned in Peace The King indeed had sent for him to eat at his own Table and restored unto him all his Patrimony But the respect to his succession could soon have fitted him with replies That the specious Kindness of calling him to Court might be both pride and policy pride to render his own Majesty the more awful by so great a Princes attendance And policy to keep him near him alwaies in view that so he might not be able to cause Sedition or Innovation And then what did an Inheritance which his Title to the Crown considered was but part of his right in a corner of one of the Tribes signifie to a man thoughtful of the loss of a Kingdom What was it but an occasion for his Brethren the Benjamites to upbraid him with want of courage and judgment who should so tamely acquiesce in this as a favour and content himself with a private Fortune who was born unto so glorious a Scepter But piety quasht all these suggestions so apt to swell and puff up a young Princes mind and gave him a most sacred Judgment to discern God's Work and Decree and taught him by meekness to enjoy himself and all that the King bestowed upon him as truly Royal favours The same Almighty power which exalted his Grandfather Saul to be King had for disobedience to his commands denounced by the same Prophet who anointed him the renting away of his Kingdom and giving it to his Neighbour and soon after the denunciation caused David by the same Prophet to be anointed That he was ordained King by God Saul knew and envied him for it and often endeavoured to frustrate the Divine Decree by killing him This Jonathan knew and loved him this Mephibosheth knew and thence gave him the Honour which true