Selected quad for the lemma: power_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A62487
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Three letters of publick concernment as to the present affairs ... as also concerning the late publication of the covenant in all churches / by a person of quality and of a publick spirit.
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Person of quality and of a publick spirit.
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1660
(1660)
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Wing T1097; ESTC R38805
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11,970
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30
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sword invades both God and man in their rights And in an unlawfull posture of subordination no just power can be derived no more then a sulphurous spring can send forth a sweet stream in that Quod deest in causa deest in effectu Thirdly That the Delegation of the supreme power from God is either immediate as to Moses who was placed by him as King in Jeshurun Deut. 33.3 5. or mediate by the people as in Elective Kingdoms who chuse the person but never collate the power or by both concurring as in Saul David c. And that no other Government then what is Paternal and founded in a single Person is either of divine institution approbation or imitation but That as the most perfect draws nearest to unitie and a conformity to God himself as I can make clearly appear from the light of Scripture the Christians compasse to steer by that of nature the candle of the Lord set up and burning in sockets amongst the heathen and by the instinct and impression the very bruit and irrationall creatures forme themselves by into a kinde of Monarchicall government yet I know Interpreters now divide upon this subject and runne in two Channells 1. Some in a concurrence with all anssqility and the most eminent more moclora divines resolving that no Government is of divine origination and setled by commission from God but what is Faternal where the habit of power is seated in one person though the exercise of it may be regulated through the indulgence of good Princes by Nationall and positive laws as well as divine to the directive power of which the King ought to be as subject as his subjects though not to the coactive as being in that way onely answerable to God for his actions Which made our Government by King Lords and Commons the best temperd constitution in the world in that as in the Naturall body an equall mixture of Elements a just proportion and distribution of power in regard of exercise in the Civill and politique best Fabricates it for a prosperous continuance which the experience of this Nation did happlly evidence till our having no King in Israel let in as to the Jews all Barbarity and impiety amongst us 2. Others of a more late stamp that carries the impression of Jesuitisme upon it as Buchanan and Knox for the reformed Ballarmine and Stapleton for the Romish Church resolve all power from God into the people and Community of men and to be derived from them either by their Individuall or representative suffrages into any posture of government they shall chuse whether Monarchicall Ariftocraticall Demacraticall or the like in it and the conse quences of it laying the Foundation of most of the Civill Wars and Commotions that have happened in Christendom since their time But however these stremns divide and these sines are drawn Counter to one another they both meet and concenter in that truth you desire a consirmation in which is That there is a conscientious obedience at least submission due to the Legislative Power whereever we own it to be and that by Gods command whether to the King as supreme Pet. 2.13 or higher Powers in the other notion in that they are of God and they that resist the power resist God and purchase damnation to themselves Rom. 13.12 Other wayes there would be a progression ad infinitum no Center to unite in no binding up of broken and divided interests no common principles to meet in nothing to resolve our selves into but Anarchy consusion Wherein all law would be reduced from the boad to the hand from prudence to power the Arbitration of the Sword the Will and lusts of men Upon which ground all the sober part of the kingdom as if one Soul had animated so many bodies have agreed in desiring that one and onely expedient of a FREE PARLIAMENT and both Armies have declared for it so as I hope we shall all acquiesce in what ONE so Freely called shall declare and settle Yet there want not Emissaries and boutefeus that to gratifie their passions and private interests Foment our distractions and in stead of closing strive to widen our Soars and make our disease mortall by opposing the remedie of a FULL and FREE PARLIAMENT killing us with their cordialls of specious pertences glorious nothings and feeding us with Aire and Shadows instead of solid food to bring us to a consumptive death the name and picture of Parliament onely to Idolize when they would destroy the very being of it with our Religion Liberties and Freedome at once But the pit is discovered though strewed over with Flowers and I hope we are escaped the snare by the prudence and publick spirit our never to be enough honoured GENERALL hath shewed in the management and conduct of our greatest and dearest interests Yet the better to secure the blessings of a happy settlement a pregnant and comprehensive mercy the Wombe of all other Felicities Let us still with the wary Pilot have Oculos ad coelum manus ad clavum our eyes upon heaven our hands at the sterne that we prevent the storme or saile safe in a rough sea 1. By our prayers to God the ascention of our spirits the wing and weight of our soules by which we mount in our desires and six in our dependencies upon him for a blessing 2. By endeavouring to advance the settling of that Government we most approve by all Just Open henourable and Faire wayes being as zealous and active for GOD and the KING as others are for their too much adored IDOLL of PRESBYTERY a FREE STATE till we see what a FREE PARLIAMENT will produce but then to acquiesce in its resolutions as the onely suprem power now asserted that can oblige us to a conscientious submission though perhaps not obedince to their Lawes the Legistator being above the Tribunall of men and onely accountable to God for his actions And therefore if any shall be guilty of so daring a presumption as to impose upon their Judgments or so high a rebellion as by force to oppose their commands though Connter to their own Interests and opinions or so Irreligiously bold with God as not to submit to them for his sake we are here resolved we hope with LONDON and ALL other Counties to maintain with our lives and fortunes the unlimited power in regard of humane restraints and Confinements which we assert as due to a FULL FREE and legally called PARLIAMENT having as good hearts as good Swords and a better cause to Fight for then any can have to oppose us in the vindication of the Parliaments undoubted Rights to an usufructuary interest in the gubernative power The Invasion of whose Freedome in any kind either in Electing sitting or voting is the destroying of its essence and being a turning our antidotes into poyson And a taking from us all humane meanes of calming the raging of our Waters and madnesse of our people who will otherwayes make this