Selected quad for the lemma: power_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A38778
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A voice from heaven to th[e] common-wealth of England with additions.
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Evans, Arise, b. 1607.
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1653
(1653)
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Wing E3470; ESTC R25074
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31,492
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57
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we find marks by which they are signified that we might know them from all others at the appearance of their persons to the world The Son of Anne was King Charles And this Prophet doth so agree with that of Rev. 10. 7. as if it were the same Angell sent afterwards to certifie of the time when the seventh Angell doth sound And it is now which in Scripture is called the end of the world in regard of the great alteration destruction persecution to come into the world as if all things were destroyed and made new again Divers of the Prophets of the Old Testament spake of the end as in Dan. 11. 27. 30 31 32 33 34 35. Dan. 12. 8. 13. Hab. 2. some of them call it the day of the Lord a dark day a great and notable day a gloomy day a day neither light nor dark Amos 5. 18 19. Ioel 2. 31. Zeph. 1. 14 15 16 17 18. Zach. 1. 14. 6 7 8. a day of decision to decide the long controversie between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman It is also to be observed how the Prophet against this time of decision sends a Proclamation to the Gentilâ—s invites them to come to this great work to fight end the controversie and bids them beat now their plow-shares into swords and pruning hooks into spears Ioel 3. 9. 10 11 12 13 14. and after the victory is obtained then the Prophet Isaiah and Micah in the same words bids them beat their swords into plow-shares and spears into pruning hooks for they shall learn war no more Isa. 2. 2 3 4 5. Micah 4. 1 2 3 4. and it is called a day of Judgment given to the Saints that they may possesse the Kingdome for ever and ever Dan. 7. 22. In the new Testament there also is much spoken of the end Mat. 24. 6. 13 14 15. and now the end is come the abhomination of desolation standeth in the holy place that is every foolish man gets up into the Pulpit and powreth out his folly Now the false Christs and false Prophets appeare every one would feigne himselfe to come in the name of the Lord as if he were sent indeed and none but he aâ—ight One sets up his way another saith as much and sets up his way so that you may see what times we live in by these appearances The Independent saith here is Christ the Presbyterian saith Lo here is Christ the Anabaptists saith Loe here is Christ and so all other Sects cry Now consider the words of the Lord Christ by which you may know that none of the wayes now tolerated and in such great esteem is the way of salvation neither shall they be saved that continue in any of these wayes for at this time when all men are suffered to be of what Religion they please yet you shall find that the faith of Gods Elect is forbidden and true Religion with the professors thereof according to the words of Christ persecuted and driven from their habitations for the Elect must endure and flie untill the Lord come as lightening to lighten the earth to give them hope and assured knowledge that Judgement is coming upon their persecutors for you know that we are exhorted by Christ to compare what we see in his Word with the things done in our times for he gives us true signs and then saith he when ye see these things begin to come to passe know that your redemption draweth nigh And again by these signs you may know which is the faith of Gods Elect who are the Elect of God and where this faith is found Tit. 1. 1. Mat. 24. 13. 16. 20. 27. Mat. 24. 15. 32 33. Mar. 13. 7. 8. 14. 28 29. Luk. 21. 28 29 30 31. First the Faith of Gods Elect is where the abomination reigneth though under persecution that 's clear Mat. 24. 15. Here under this state we see the abomination therefore here are the faithfull found Secondly the abomination cannot be said to reign but in one certain country where the Elect are planted and if possible the abomination should have his full time no flesh should be saved Mat. 24. 22. And it is evidently seen that the abomination reigneth here in England therefore if the Elect be destroyed here there is no more seed left to propagate Isa. 1. 9. Thirdly consider there is but one way of salvation but many false wayes 2 Pet. 2. 2. and he that endureth in that way continually notwithstanding what he may suffer for it he shall be saved Mat. 24. 13. Fourthly consider that when every other way is tolerated then this true way is persecuted and forced to flie Mat. 24. 15. 16. 23. 25. 26. Fifthly consider that the false wayes at this time are far more glorious then the way of truth and so prevalent that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Mat. 24. 23 24 25 26. Sixthly consider that the Elect are no where els but here in England so tyed to this place that if the faith of Gods Elect were destroyed here there should be none sav'd Mat. 24. 22. Seventhly consider that if the faith of Gods Elect were anywhere else found it could not be subject to dangers as it seems to be for if it were destroyed here in this land we should find it in some other But the case is not so for he doth specifie a certain place by the name of Iudea Mat. 24. 16. where these things shall be seen and it is evident that Iudea to be here for here the signes are seen England is the place therefore here and no where else is this faith found And it is evident to be the faith of King Edward Queen Elizabeth King Iames King Charles and if destroyed here where else to be found And to shew you that the Romish Faith now is not the Faith of Gods Elect it was determined that some should depart from the faith before the day of God came 2 Thes. 2. 1 2 3. and accordingly they have departed as you may see their actions noted unto us 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. by their forbidding their Priests to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats which things they do And after their departing it was determined that there should be a reformation in the Church made by publique authority according to the mind of God which reformation or form of worship is called a form of godlinesse and the authors of that form are justified and called good men 2 Tim. 3 4 5. And then it was decreed that a company of Traytors should come and deny the power of this form and say the form is not of power to make men godly and this you may see in 2. Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. And they are compared to the Sorcerers of Egypt because they withstand this forme and the authors of it as those Sorcerers did Moses who was also sent of God and gave the Law And these
to dispute for the justnesse of his cause God loosened his tongue and he spake fluently as many can witnesse First when he went for shelter into the Scots army Mr. Henderson the greatest Champion Minister in Scotland slew himself in disputing and striving with the King Secondly Mr. Cook that drew his charge in his charge against the King calls him a second Solomon for wisdome Thirdly Mr. Lilly in his book called Monarchy or no Monarchy is forced to say of the King He was a man inclined to no vice Fourthly the Plea for the Commonwealth of England Colonel Ioyce saith that the King was of a far more excellent spirit than M. Love who was the most valiant Minister in all England and suffered for it Would ye have an able wise faithfull wise undefiled good spirited perfect man in all things justified of God of men of his most deadly enemies Look upon K. Charles he is so justified of all Again consider his great faithfulnesse as he was was engaged to defend the faith and church of Christ committed to his trust at his Coronation after he lost his Armies and three Kingdoms and was in the custody of the Parliaments Army he might have had his three Kingdoms again restored to him upon terms destructive to the faith and Church of Christ but rather then so he chuseth to lose his Kingdoms and also his life for the defence of the faith and church committed to his trust who ever did the like and what glory is too great for such a King Again consider how perfect his love was not only to his friends but also to his most deadly enemies who took his life and Kingdoms from him I mean you Souldiers So far was he from seeking revenge upon you for all you did against him that he praiseth you for gallant valiant men and wishes that he had had such men as ye may see in his book and last speech to his Son and therefore ought not you in equity to requite him with the like love and though you cannot give him his life again yet to be a means to cause him that is his name to reign For you see by the Word of God that he must reign and will not you now you see 't is right be the instruments to bring it to passe There be two Commandements that sound in mine ears continually One is this Thou shalt not fellow a multitude to do evill neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgement Exod 23. 2. The other is Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Lev. 19. 17. My silence is a sin unto me I should hate you if I did not tell you the truth The States flatterers say that the power is radical in the people derivative in the Parliament But the word of God saith that the power is radicall in God derivative in Kings and that promotion comes not from the East nor from the West that is from any people but God is the Judge he puts down one and sets up another Psa. 75. 5 6 7. and by me Kings reign Pro. 7. 15 16. Power belongs to God Psa. 72. 11. For this cause Melchisedeck is said to be from all eternity lest any should argue and say that he had his Kingly power from men Heb. 7. 1 2 3. For a man to make a thing better than himself and then fear honor and obey it as his God is the grossest idolatry and men do so when they claim the power to set up rulers Hos. 8. 4 5 6. for men to make themselves gods is idolatry Rulers are called Gods Psal. 82. 6. therefore those people are idolaters that take upon them to set up Rulers for themselves and God will require it Again I say that power which is of men is opposite to that which is of God neither can both stand together Christ saith intimating the power of John Baptist Luk. 1. 77. was it from heaven or of men Mat. 12. 25. is all one as if he had said Is it from heaven or of hell for what 's opposite to heaven but hell again saith he Act. 5. 38 39. if this Councell be of men 't will come to nought but if it be of God it will stand is all one as if he had said if it be of the devill it will come to nought but if it be of God it will stand for what 's opposite to God but the devill Some will say there is no power but of God Rom 13. 1. Therefore the States power is of God I answer that which is of men is not of God The States power is of men therefore not of God but in this sense ' is of God God by his foreknowledge did foresee this State and permitted it to continue so long But that God is the author of this State is denied For 't is clear that the Dragon gave him that is the Beast or State his power and his seat and great authority Rev. 13. 2. Therefore they have not their authority or power to act of God but they have their power permitted to continue so long a time as the devils had a time which they claim Mar. 1. 24. Mat. 8. 29. But Paul understood that the power of the Romans was of God for it was enclosed in Caesar and Caesar was a King John 19. 12. 15. and Paul calls him the Minister of God Rom. 13. 4. because he had not his power of men but of God But saith he the powers that be Rom. 13. 1. hence you draw your conclusion that the States power is to be submitted to though it be of men I say no for he speaks there of the power which is of God a Kingly power and all the stop in these words the powers that be is in regard Caesar was not a Christian but a heathen and therefore not altogether right yet he calls him the Minister of God in regard his power was of God and not of men therefore thus much the Apostle saith here that the power that is of God and not of men you must submit unto in outward affairs though the King be a Heathen and whereas he saith Rom. 13. 1. there is no power but of God he doth absolutely deny this power as it is now the States power to be any thing else but a jugling shew of Sathan admired at by them that perish as he defines it 2 Thes. 2. 8 9 10. it hath all power in shew yet it is but a deceiveable lying wonder of no substance As Juglers make us believe they have many rare things but when we need such things alas there 's nothing at all Now the power that is of God alwayes descends from heaven as you may see Rev. 10. 1. Rev. 11. 1. 2 3 4 5 6. Rev. 18. 1. Rev. 20. 1. intimating that it comes from God alone But the other power is said alwayes to ascend