Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	government_n	king_n	monarchy_n	2,757	5	9.5091	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80276	A complaint and petition of the whole kingdome of England for satisfaction of conscience, and avoiding rebellion.		1643 (1643)	Wing C5612; ESTC R232719	20,510	29

different from the patterne of Heaven diverse from Divine institution and indeed Punishments rather then blest governments If they be compared with Monarchie Which made the wisest of Kings affirme that many Princes are imposed for the transgression of a Land But that Realme onely indures long which is ruled by one man of understanding and knowledge Prov. 28. 2. Which Doctrine seemes to be squared to Gods owne practice throughout all ages whensoever he designed any governour over his people the Jewes after they were taken notice of for his peculiar although for a long time he retained the royall supreame Title of King to himselfe during 1 Sam. 8. which time he oft times immediatly delivered his Regall mandates by Urim Thummim Visions Oracles Prophesies c. Yet he appointed one Supreame Vicegerent over them and not many for as for the Sanhedrim they were but as Moses or the High preists privie Counsell Or as delegated Judges because of the multiplicity of businesses One I say and not Judg. c. 10. c. 15. many witnesse Moses 40 yeares betwixt Egypt and Canaan Joshua neere 60 yeares settling them in Canaan after them Judah after him Othniell then Ehud then Shamgar then Deborah then Gideon then Tolah then Jair then Jephthah then Sampson But never above one at one time And how lamentable the times were when there was not one Supreame but the multitude tooke power into their owne hands that hideous story of the licentious Danites and the ravished Levites wife and the revenge of one upon another may serve to Judg. 19. 20. astonish all posterity and affright them from affecting Anarchie yea and when God after that he had in mercy looked upon their misery sent them new Judges Hely and Samuel successively and they not therewith satisfied would have a King like other nations he doth not set severall Kings over them as Joshua found 31 over the Land at their entrance but he 1 Sam. 8. 5. Josh 12. appointed them onely one King 1. Sam 8. 22. As being safest for his people best resembling his government and most agreable to his Ordinance Wherefore we must needes be Subject to such forme of government for it is the Ordinance of God Oh how much therefore are those too blame who go about to alter this forme of government and to introduce a new deformed device of their owne ambitious invention wherein they are not agreed whether they shall be stiled 1. The States of England as some of their Preachers forgetting the King in their praiers have sycophantically phrased them 2. Or whether they shall be entituled The Perpetuall Senate or Assessours of the Kingdome as some have endeavoured to derive their stile as the Impresse of a Republick 3. Or whether they shall be dignified with the Princely Attribute of Gentlemen of the Crowne of England to which should be annexed the power of electing their King although hereditary as some of themselves have ambitiously expressed their affectation in assimilation to that of Poland onely to the end that themselves might be sharers in Supremacy A Government which admitting a Monarch whom yet they dare not deny is neither Monarchie Aristocracy Democracy nor Oligarchie and Anarchie I dare say they would not have it intituled A Government which if Aristotle himself were to sit in Councell at their close Committees he could not yet resolve what to call it a government never grounded on the Ordinance of God nor practiced in any established Common-weale And what fearefull effects must necessarily follow it Besides that it is easie to conjecture when men leave the fountaines of the living waters and take themselves to Cisterns of their owne digging It may also be apparant to any indifferent understanding Speed H. 3. p. 635. ex Mat. West-monast Martin H. 3. p. 66 67 70 71 73 74. who reads or heares the story of Hen. 3. when there was an attempt of 24. Assessours and a trayterous appointing Les Douze Piers far short of this confused insolency what Robberies what Rapes what Murthers what Burglaries what Extortions what Exactions followed every one shrouding himselfe under that Assessour which he followed yea and every one of the Assessours after a little time bandying himselfe against another either for their owne faction or favouring of their followers is rather to be imagined then reported yet those times too really felt it and all must necessarily taste the like bitter fruit who will plant and nurse the tree of popular faction And alas how foolish and fond of flitting to use King James Vpon the Lords Prayer his Scottish Proverbe in another case are those people which will be bewitched to follow these many-headed Hydra's before the voice of the Lambe and never consider that old Adage Citius impletur unus saccus quàm plures hath there beene so much pains bestowed in vaine if it be in vain As the Apostle speakes in another case to bring this Kingdome from an Heptarchie to a Monarchie that now one part of this Iland should be turned from a Monarchie to a Roman Decemvirate a Venetian Senate a Low-countrey State nay to a Government without a name God forbid Vis unita fortior but a Kingdome divided Matth. 12. 25. cannot stand I beseech you therefore brethren marke them diligently which cause divisions amongst you and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. for those who at first cause divisions in Opinion in Doctrine and in Religion will at the length attempt divisions in Government in Policie in Countries and Kingdomes Let us in the feare of God consider with our selves That if there be no power but of God even the punishing and persecuting power and if we must be subject even to that lest we should fight against God Oh how much more then where Kings are nursing fathers ought we to shew our Esa 49. 23 subjection with all readinesse and chearfulnesse If Saint Paul inforce obedience to the Prince with so many forcible Arguments when that Tyrant Nero who devoured Christians like a Lyon raigned and raged Oh how should we urge and presse this point when a Constantine a Patron of the Church 2. Tim. 4. 17. and patterne of Piety is our President in religious exercises aswell as President over us with righteous government for certainely They that resist resist the Ordinance of God which is the third reason whereupon our Apostle grounds this inference Wherefore ye must needs be subject For as in his Church Christ gave some to be Apostles some 3. Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the Ephes 4. 11 12. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Vers 14. Ministry so God in the Common-weale appointed some to be Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most eminent and excellent above all other some to be Governours under them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent by Commission from them Amongst whom some are Nobles some Judges Prov. 8. 16. some Priests for those