Selected quad for the lemma: power_n
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A31000
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A sermon preach'd at the assizes at Hertford, July 10th, 1684 by Miles Barne.
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Barne, Miles, d. 1709?
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1684
(1684)
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Wing B864; ESTC R10100
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11,593
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32
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〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all along used in the new Testament to signifie lawfull Power for that comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings To secure obedience to this Power it has made Rebellion no less a crime then fighting against God and entail'd Damnation upon the Rebel He that resisteth the Power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation And for the support of this Power it has commanded men to pay tribute and give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's On what a sandy foundation does the Malmesbury Politician set his Almighty Leviathan when he makes love of ease and the fear of Death and wounds the Principle causes which dispose men to obedience Princes would be in a very uneasie condition did not Religion tye up mens hands more then their natural dispositions for if this were all they had to trust to they must expect assistance from none of their subjects but such as are altogether useless viz. Sluggards and Cowards Conformable to this Doctrine of the Scriptures was the practise of the best and most primitive Christians when they lived under the most persecuting Emperours and then too when they were numerous enough to have made the Roman Eagles stoop to the Cross of Christ by force of Arms had not they had other motives for their obedience besides those of the aforecited Author they must have been Chronicled for the very Princes of Rebellion for they were so far from the love of ease that they voluntarily enured themselves to all kind of hardship so far from fear of wounds that they courted Death in her most terrible shapes No they had learn't obedience from a higher and more divine principle they knew that Emperours were by Gods appointment and therefore solely accountable to him à quo sant primi post quem secundi they knew that to them belonged the sole Power and use of the sword and therefore that it was not lawfull upon any occasion to unsheath it against them and therefore they condemn'd Rebellion not only as inconsistent with the Imperial Laws but moreover destructive of the Doctrine of the Cross and thereupon instead of raising a band of Rebels to dethrone their persecuting Emperours they rais'd an Army of Glorious Martyrs who resisted unto bloud striving against sin and conquer'd their enemies by dying for the Truth Conformable to the Doctrine of the Scriptures and the practice of the Primitive Christians is both the Doctrine and the practice of the Church of England She dares not own them any longer for Her Genuine Sons whom either ambition avarice or any allurements whatsoever can tempt to a disloyal thought much less to an Actual Rebellion Then as to Her constitution does not Hierarchy in the Church agree well with Monarchy in the State on the contrary may not a Presbyterian parity endanger it Independency quite overthrow it and what hopes that he should ever become a good subject who disputes the lawfulness of his Superiours commands till he finds himself free to obey If then we respect the peace and prosperity of the nation regard that beauty order and unity which ought to be preserv'd in the Church if we consider that tranquillity and happiness which will necessarily follow from the maintaining the establisht Religion in its Just Rights and Priviledges or would avoid those miseries and confusions which will arise from a Toleration of different Religions under the same Monarchy then certainly 't is the Duty of all men but especially of those in Authority to receive all such and only such as preach the Word in sincerity and truth i. e. those who can come up to all the Heights of the Discipline Doctrine and Publick Worship of the Church of England And so I come to consider in the second place the Danger of Tolerating those who do not preach the Word in Sincerity and Truth And the danger will appear to be very great First from their numbers Secondly their Principles Thirdly their Zeal in propagating and resolution to put their Principles in Execution First from their Numbers where we are to reckon all those who profess and openly avow a dislike and hatred to the Government those who are secret Friends and well Willers to these bold Professors And Lastly Those who steer the whole course of their Actions by a cowardly treacherous Neutrality And we are to look upon all these as one united Interest When ever they get an advantage against the Government They have often boasted of and threatned the Government with their Numbers and a late dying Enthusiast In the Name of the Party pronounces they conceiv'd three Parts of the City would have been concern'd in the Insurrection I hope he has much overshot himself in his accompt but at present let us take him at his word and esteem their Legions as Formidable as they would make us believe they are But tho' they were less numerous yet their Principles render them very dangerous which must respect either the Church or the State If the Church they have made so many and such deadly wounds in that seamless coat that perhaps Epiphanius his censure of the old Hereticks will be found defective both as to the Number and the Malignity of our Modern Schismaticks Later ages increasing the Number and this last still improving the filthiness of these filthy dreamers who defile the flesh despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities Aetas parentum pejor Avis tulit nos nequiores but I shall instance in two and those very obvious yet such as charge the whole Party of Dissenters with a dangerous Separation First their aversion to all Ecclesiastical Order and Discipline their irreconcileableness to Episcopal Government with publick solemn Forms of Worship administration of the Holy Sacraments all prescrib'd decent Ceremonies without which 't is impossible to maintain that one Holy Catholick and Apostolick Faith which was once deliver'd to the Saints that Christ's Spouse the Church should become all Glorious within according to his own promise or that the peace of Jerusalem and the prosperity of sion should be lasting and undisturb'd 2. That tho' they are multiplied into several almost innumerable Sects yet each would be thought the Elect of God the Peculiars of Heaven to the uttter exclusion and reprobation of the rest and so 't will be I Saint thou Reprobate to the end of the Chapter and yet this Cadmean Progeny always agree in a cursed Conspiracy to perplex and destroy the Religion by Law establish't Secondly If we consider their Principles relating to the State whatever Rebellious Antimonarchicall positions have been forg'd in the Schools by the subtle Disciples of Ignatius Loyola broach'd by the more Factious Off-spring of the Factious Calvin practis'd by the Holy Leaguers of France the Diabolical Covenanters of Scotland have been all of them faithfully transcrib'd and improved by our late Atheistical Associators who are so far from owning the Divine Right of
Kings that they account Monarchy an Antichristian Institution and Monarchs quâ Monarchs the worst of Tyrants And there are three Positions as much believed by them as any Article of their Creed which makes it dangerous for any Kingdom to entertain them First That Dominion is founded in Grace the avowed Doctrine of all Enthusiasts Secondly That the original of all Power is in the People the received Tenet of all Republicans Thirdly That 't is Lawfull to resist in the case of Religion a most Dangerous and Impious Doctrine and yet seems to be maintain'd with the last breath of that unfortunate Gentleman who deservedly fell an early Sacrifice to Justice in the late Horrid Conspiracy And are we not arriv'd to a fine pass in Divinity when the Doctrine of resistance contrary to the Express letter of the Text shall be fetch'd from the Holy Scriptures that of Passive Obedience laugh'd at as the Doctrine of the Bowstring and impudently exploded as if condemn'd by the practise of the Primitive Christians contrary to the whole current of Antiquity By the help of these Devillish Principles they can despise Dominions overturn Kingdoms and trample upon the necks of Imperial Princes for what King can defend his Dominions against such Saints as claim under the Title of irresistible Grace for if they alone have a right to possess the Earth it were great Injustice not to surrender at their demand what Prince can be secure of the fidelity of His People when a fawning Demagogue shall come and tell them the Power which is exercis'd over you was originally yours you pass'd it over conditionally with a Power of Revocation and since 't is abus'd you are the betrayers of your own Rights if you do not resume What villanies will not they attempt who can derive arguments for Tumult and Rebellion from the Gospel of Peace and Obedience turn Prayers and Tears the only weapons of the Primitive Christians into Swords and Blunderbusses and make the Cross of Christ the Standard of Rebellion Thirdly The Danger appears as from their Principles so from their Zeal and Industry in propagating and their resolution to put their Principles in execution and here to give them their due they have stoutly born the heat and burthen of the day they have been very laborious and left no stone unturn'd to carry on the good Old Cause and to make the work sure they raise the superstructure of a Fanatical Conspiracy upon the Foundation of a Popish Plot which tho' in all the parts of it those only excepted which have undergone the Test of Authority most inartificially laid in most attended with so great improbabilities and in some with such notorious contradictions and Moral impossibilities that the most fabulous Legend might have seem'd a less fiction was nevertheless thro' the fears prejudice or popularity of the disaffected Laity the credulity indiscretion and intemperate Zeal of such Pulpiteers as stil'd themselves the men of Moderation carry'd on to that height that both King and People Church and State were brought to the very brink of Destruction For 't was this Monster of a Plot that deluded and frighted the unthinking multitude out of their Wits and Allegiance afforded a clear Stage for designing Republican Gladiators once more to play a Prize for the Crown and the Mitre This gave an advantagious opportunity to discarded and discontented Statesmen to wreak their Malice upon their Injur'd Sovereign to destroy those Councils which they could not govern and hopes to old cashier'd Officers to regain their Commands and govern by Martial Law This put the whole Nation into such a distraction and consternation that we became a most Mysterious Riddle to our selves and a laughing stock to our Neighbours Being thus affrighted and acting like men in a dream what wonder if we became an easie prey to our watchfull Adversaries Hence Sons of Perdition the Destroyers of the Innocent were past upon us for the Saviours of the Nation and to carry on the Blasphemy of the Metaphor these Sons of Belial became so much the Idol of the Faction that in their Opinion 't was less criminal to deny an Article of the Christian Faith than disbelieve the deposition of a paltry lying Narrative Hence they who refus'd tumultuous Petitions were voted Abhorrers Loyal Addressers made Papists and Pensioners and under those Titles expos'd to Contempt and Danger Hence it became safer to Libel than Act in defence of the Government to talk and write Treason against the King than oppose the Arbitrary Tyrannical proceedings of the Commons In short 't was this Hellish Plot that set up Republican Clubs and licens't popular Tumults that gave Birth to Sheriffs cases Guides to Juries and rais'd such a cursed Band of Ignoramus's as were sure to call light darkness and darkness light to find the Innocent and acquit the Guilty by this they wickedly assault the Succession associate erect themselves into Treasonable Councils and deliberate upon the Methods of such a Diabolical Assassination as would have exceded the cruelties of either the Irish or the Parisian Massacres In one word 't was this that consecrated Subornation Perjury Schism lying Visions Rapine Blasphemy Tumult Rebellion and made all manner of Villany meritorious And now certainly after so many and dire effects it may well be call'd a Hellish Popish Plot. You have heard how great their Zeal was to propagate their Designs and their Resolution to Execute will appear no less Else what makes them even to this day deny lessen palliate or excuse the late Horrid Conspiracy which has been so signally prov'd by a Judicial stroke from a self-murdering hand by the Tryals Condemnations Confessions and Executions of so many of the Conspirators by the flight and Outlawries of the rest If they would have us believe that their Resolutions are chang'd and their Judgements alter'd why do they not give us some signs of true Penitents confess the severalShams they have put upon the Nation take upon them that Publick shame which is due to such Notorious Offenders and make satisfaction for five years Oppression and Confusion and let their Zeal appear as beneficial as it has been prejudicial to the Government Why do they yet Justifie the Treason by protecting and concealing the Traytors But alass what hopes is there that they should change their Practices when the Chief of those who have hitherto suffer'd for the Conspiracy have encourag'd the living to persevere in it shew'd a greater Affection for the Cause then for their own Souls And have appear'd more sollicitous for the procuring an Act of Oblivion for their accomplices than pardon of God Almighty for those crimes which they were to answer for the next moment Else why did they trifle away their last precious minutes in advising or threatning the Government or why has one of them transcrib'd the very cause and Principles of the Faction into his Bible and left it as a Legacy to his beloved Sister Good God! that that