Selected quad for the lemma: power_n
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A81590
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The doctrine of vnitie, or An antidote for the city of London and therein for the whole kingdome besides, against division a certaine symptome of destruction. With a caution for malignants of the same city.
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1643
(1643)
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Wing D1776; Thomason E246_40; ESTC R3851
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8,558
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8
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iniâ—yment of a petty inconsiderable nothing availe us what a small difference then betwixt us and bruits or rather what a great difference would there be for they which were made only for the service of man would after this little minute or moment of life past be in farre better state and condition then the reasonable soule for they shall returne to their first principles nothing but poore man be for ever even to the utmost extremity miserable If we give away our Religion we renounce our God fell Heaven and depart from all possibility of our succeeding eternall happinesse and the soule must have a being if not above yet below if not in blessednesse yet in perpetuall woe O then let us resolve to unite our selvs in a sacred combination and rather divest our selves of all we are have or enjoy then part with this pretious gemme which will bee our surest and most faithfull friend when either we forsake the happinesse of the world as certainly we must for so heaven hath decreed it Statutum est omnibus semel mori or when it shall leave and desert us as casually it may for there is no stability or constancy in any temporall happinesse Againe it is for our Parliaments and in them for our lawes liberties and properties if we maintaine not the former the latter will quickly be forced from us The policie of State erected Parliaments as the ultimum refugium in case other powers neglected their duty or abused their authority in preiudice of the publike for the subiect to flie to for redresse of their heavie pressures and grieuances and these always have been the certaine propps and pillers of State and the Patrons of our Laws and Liberties And if we shall now foolishly like Esau part with our glorious Birthright for a poore messe of Pottage sell our Parliaments for a trifle what wil become oâ— us and our whole posterity They are the onely evidences wee have to shew for all we enjoy and if wee loose these no other assurance whatsoever can secure our Titles As the Sunne is to the Earth The Phisitian to the weake Patient or which is yet more the life or soule to the body of man such and of the like consequence are our Parliaments to us While the Sonne appeares with its resplendent raise the earth fructifies and is beautifull but if that should hide or withdraw it selfe how would the glory of the spring flagge and hang down its head for want of that glorious lustre and the earth become sterill and barren bringing forth nothing but combersome weedes and fruitlesse Thistles And while the weake patient is ruled by the skilfull Phisitian and followes his prescriptions so long the violence of his disease doth abate and there is great hopes of a recovery but let him discontinue his course of Phisicke and desert his Phisitian and immediately he fals into a desperate relaps and becomes worse then ever And lastly while the life or soule of a man is united and continues with the body so long it is active and moveing but when once the soule hath left it's habitation and is departed the body then perishes decayes and moulders away into its fi st principles Iust thus it is with us while we enjoy the Sunshine of our Parliaments and desert not this great Phisitian which is as the very life and being of the State so long prospire succedunt omnia the State flourishes the King is happy in his people and the people blest in their King The King enjoyes his just Prerogative and the people their Liberties and properties But if once these be taken away or but discontinued for a time then multitudes of State pressures and unsupportable burdens croud in upon us the Law then looseth its strength and vigor and the Subject his liberty and property then forct benevolences and loanes a farre greater plague to the purse than the twentieth part will be imposed upon us Then will the Tyranny and Arbitrary power of the Lievetenants and deputies Lievetenants be againe revived amongst us then shall new imposts and excises againe vex us n d new found courts and Corporations farre worse then the old poster us then will the grand Proiect Ship-money and coate and conduct money of which now there may be greater need then ever the great drayners and exhausters of the subjects store be againe set on foot to undoe us Then will Monopolies the ruine and bane of a state like pests of lice and Locusts swarme amongst us then shall we have a High Commission Court and Starre-chamber againe to exercise a power and iurisdiction above and besides the Law to plague us with grand penalties for our small offences and then should a Proclamation crate Law and be of as good authority as my Lord Coke or any of our yeare Bookes and Magna Charta be as a dead letter not able to defend the Subiects Liberty or property thus would it farre with the State I and much worse if we were but once courted out of our Parliaments and which is above all our condition would be as bad if not worse in the Church then would the Pontificiall power Lord it over us againe and excommunicate praying and Preaching or those that use it without that they will follow the Episcopall straine crying up the Kings Prerogative and preâ—ching downe the subiects liberty and property as if the Kings honour and substance did depend meerely upon the ruine of his people No contientious Lectorers or pious and laborious Preaching Ministers should then be tollerated No the pride sloath and covetousnesse of the Prelacy and these are inconsistent they cannot possibly stand together but the one will detrude and depresse the other Then should we have the rabble of innovations introducted new disciplines I and new doctrines too broached Iesuits and Seminary Priests with their factious and damnable religion nouâ—ished I and wee our selves too poasting headlong to Popery To be short all things both in Church and state would change their habits and become new nothing then sh uld be tollerated but which should have the spetious and faire pretence of a refined government or of a more pure and glorious religion whereas the meere bent and aime would be gradually to introduct an Arbitrary power in the State pompous superstition and Popery in the Church Now our Parliaments are as a Hedge wall or fence against such incroachments or usurpations which while it stands secures us from all these but if we unwisely suffer this pertition to be broken or trodden downe then all these heavy burdens and miseries threatning ruine to our Religion Lawes Liberties and properties like an invation of the vast and irresistable Ocean flow in upon us O then worthy Citizens you whom succeeding ages will honour and dignifie with the style of your countreys Patriarches tye your selves together in the bend of Union and resolve never to desert the Parliament least Heavkn as a just judgement upon so vilde a defection
THE Doctrine of Vnitie OR An ANTIDOTE for the City of LONDON and therein for the whole Kingdome besides AGAINST DIVISION A certaine SYMPTOME of DESTRUCTION With a Caution for Malignants of the same City Ecce quam bonum quam jucundum est habitare fratres in unum NOva rerum facies Nay and we men too as well as things have put on new faces It is a difficultie to finde one man that hath not changed his opinion or metamorphosed his manners since the beginning of Parliament some varying in some things others in all but all in some Some turne to the King others to the Parliament and some turne round So that we men who should bee stable firme and constant in our judgements and opinions are now grown effeminate and change with every new moone nay and it is well if not before where can you find one of that gravitie and perseverance who can give you this account that he hath been always one No we have most ignobly degenerated from that virile and unshaken spirit that every Heroick mind ought to carry along with it And though it be plausible for a man sometimes mutare sententiam upon better ground and reason for no man ought so to sacrifice to his own Net or to adore his own judgement or opinion as not to be counterpoised or over-ballanced by better and more cleare principles of reason yet for a man like a weather-cock to have no certaine station but to vary according to the incertaine blast of fame or the severall opinions of those many companies and associates he meets with all is extreamly fanaticke and ridiculous And I wish that there were not to many amongst us dangerous men who in these dubious and uncertaine times know not in case a storme should arise where to cast Anchor who by their division and opposition have talked themselves quite beside their reason having no dependance but upon a future incertaine opportunity which they are ready to imbrace whensoever it shall offer it selfe be it on which side it will The most prevalent party shall sway their judgement and as the doubtfull successe of warre shall appeare to either side whether seemingly or certainly to crowne their indeavours so will these men like an over or under charged ballance goe up or down And these are they who cry downe siding faction and sedition and justly to while in the meane time they are the most dangerous men who know not the treachery that is lodged in their owne hearts but hang upon the tenter of an uncertain event whether agreeable to or against conscience And who more likely what ever they pretend to blow the miserable and unhappy coale of sedition and division amongst us than such who watch their opportunity to raise themselves by the ruine of others Neutrality alwayes carries with it an eye of policy And though I cannot but acknowledge my selfe an enemy to the Cavalliers yet I must professe to the whole world that my conscience instructs me that I have more reason to dread the former than the latter by how much the more a clandestine and unknowne enemy is to be feared above an open and profest one And for my part I desire to stand neuter as to either of these But now give me leave to inform our grave and wise Citizens for the spring approaches in which we must expecta 2d attempt if not before prevented by a seasonable accoÌ„modation upon what pinne the danger of this famous Metropolis hangs and that is upon the imminent hazard of fraction and division the certaine carecter of ruine and confusion It is the Divils position too too much practised now adayes by his Agents and instruments divide and overcome No way like that to faciâ—ate a conquest For as in a great Arm 〈◊〉 let the body keepe intire and undevided many thousands happily will not overcome them but disperse and divide them into smaller bodies and then that force which might bee before almost invincible may now be put to flight and be routed if not destroyed by a petty inconsiderable Army Or as it is with a mans hand one finger by it selfe hath but little strength it it but take the whole hand together with the united some of all the fingers and then it will prove very strong and potent So it is with this City while it remaines intire without rents and divisions all joyntly combining for the good of the publique it is like an impregnable Fort not to be taken by a farre greater power then the Cavaliers dare lay claime to But if once divided then it is layed open and made obnoxious to the might and power of the Enemy and is easily overcome you know who said it a Kingdome divided within it selfe cannot stand and if it were possible that hell could bee divided it would come to utter ruine and desolation of such power and force are schismes and divisions This is that which is the odium of Heaven the delight of hell and the ruine of us poore mortals This is that feed which the Divell and Antichrist so wâ—â—â—â— scatters throughout the whole world raising 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉 pâ—â—ner against power a Kingdome City and Country against themselves Were it not for this no people or persons could ever be made miserable O then worthy Citizens whose piety and zeale to the publike will bee for ever admired and renowned in succeeding ages Vnite your selves by a strong tye and obligation to serve your King and Countrey And let not the policy of the subtill adversary divide you one from another consider that it is the Divels stratageme more practised now than ever and if you ruine not your selves t is not any externall force or power can hurt you Vnion in a good cause is the ioy of heaven the envie of Hell and the happinesse of men T is that which now puts a Price into your hands of being for ever happy T is that and nothing else under heaven that can secure you from the Common adversary seeing that there are so many fratres in malo combined together against you doth it not concerne you to become fratres in bono wherefore let us all joyne in a solemne vow never to diserte the cause untill heaven crowne our desires with a blessed issue T is for out Religion then which nothing on this side heaven more precious This is that which through the divine assistance gives wings to the soule and makes it sore aloft never suffering it to be at rest untill with a holy impatience it hath got into and reposed it selfe in Abrahams bosome while all other terrene and sublunary happinesse whatsoever is but like to golden chaines cloggs and fetters binding us over to these uncertaine vanities dividing betwixt us and heaven depressing and detruding the soule into the lowest centre This is that which sweetens and adds a pleasant sâ— pour to all other fading and momentany happinesse were it not for a future expectancy of heaven what would the short