Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	king_n	people_n	regal_a	3,304	5	11.2674	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38595	The abridgement of a sermon preached on the fast-day appointed to be held for the good successe of the treatie that was shortly to ensue between the King and the Parliament, Septemb. 12, 1648 by Mr. Despagne ... ; faithfully translated into English by Umfrevile, Gent.; Abbrégé d'un sermon prononcé au jour de jusne indict sur le sujet du traitté futur entre le roy et le Parlement, le 12 de septembre 1648. English	Espagne, Jean d', 1591-1659.; Umfrevile, William.	1648 (1648)	Wing E3254; ESTC R20881	6,427	24

the height of heaven the depth of the earth and the breadth of the heart of Kings His meaning is that their knowledge and the trouble requisite to the attaining of it ought to be as it were infinite it being impossible to discry any bounds or measure of it Though their mindes remain between heaven and earth yet should they endeavour to be elevated as sublime as the one and likewise as profound as the other yea to lock within their dimensions all this vast fabrick of the Universe as they desire to resemble God in power and greatness ought they not to be like him in wisdom and understanding I speak this not onely in regard of Princes but also in respect of the Superiorities and Powers which are adjoyned unto them in the administration and managing of the Common-wealth and who are or seem to be their collaterals and to share some part in the Soveraignty now if it so happen that these two Authorities justle one with another and that there be contestation about Jurisdiction the example of God himself obligeth both parties to surpass one another rather in wisdome then strength See how this mighty God deals with them that oppose him he puts them to the worst rather by his wisdom then his strength Should he ever use his might would he not ruine them in a moment but he takes more delight to overcome them by his wisdom And by reason that this power of his cannot be discerned by a multitude of successive events which require time he forbears to imploy all his puissance against his adversaries To be brief hee had rather be acknowledged wiser then they then to shew himself stronger then they Amidst this study of wisdome let Kings also be mindful of the shortnesse of their dayes Amongst all those that reign'd over the people of God there was none but David that lived 70 yeers none of the rest reach'd that age O ye Kings I verily have said ye are gods yee are the children of the Highest Neverthelesse ye shall die like men and fall as soon as any other 2. The peoples duty towards their Kings and themselves Now let us speak of the people and here I put a Question Wherefore our Lord commanding Mat. 22.21 to render to God and Cesar what to them belongs mentions in the first place the dues toward Cesar before the duties appertaining to God Wee know full well that Gods interest is to have the precedency before any whatsoever of Kings some distinction notwithstanding must be made herein 1. Through all the inward and secret inclinations of the soul our affections ought to be for God rather then any creature whatsoever in this respect we must fear God before wee honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 Yet are there many externall acts which though they may have a reference to the service of God ought sometime onely to follow after those that we owe to man So he that will offer sacrifice and is at ods with his brother must let alone his oblation and agree first with him 2. The chiefest graces give the lesser leave to work first in matters of this nature and commonly all graces begin from the inferiour functions To give almes is a more excellent work then to pay a debt neverthelesse upon just demand the payment of the debt ought to precede the giving of alms and Justice goes before Charity although this last be the greater grace In Charity it self to love our enemy is a far greater gift then to love our friend neverthelesse in a like straight and exigency of them both benevolence toward a friend ought to take place 3. Under colour of Gods right many Jews made scruple to pay tribute to Cesar But our Lord approving of both the duties mentioned that first whereof they made doubt and proposed the question to him This Soveraign Lord God hath further manifested even by his own example what esteem we ought to have of Royalty Many times hee hath so far favoured some certain persons as to offer them their choice of divers things that concerned them but never gave he this priviledge save to Kings We finde four of them that had this prerogative David to whom it was permitted to chuse one of the three judgments that were propounded to him Solomon who amidst so many blessings that a Monarch could desire had permission to chuse and promise to obtain what he should ask Ahaz who had order to ask what miracle he pleased either in heaven or earth Ezekiah to whom was offered the election of two great wonders viz. that the shadow of the Diall should leap forward or return backward ten degrees in equal distance 'T is a speciall favour when God presents the choice to men But this hee never did yet except to Kings onely And by this singular priviledge he hath declared the account that men should make of their just desires Let 's here touch another remarkable Point When God was minded to overthrow the Jewish State the first act of his justice was to remove their Kings We know that this people had also both Prophets and Priests but God took not from them these lights all at once He begins with the Regal power which was wholly extinct and supprest in Zedekias that was their last King they had still Prophets yea after their return from Captivity but soon after God took away their Prophesie likewise and nothing was left them but a corrupt Priesthood that in its time was also abolished So that it is evident the ruine of their State arose from the subversion of the Seat Royall I have one question more When is it that a Kingdom is in most danger when the King is good and the people bad or when both viz. King and people are alike wicked One would judge at first sight that there is more likelihood and more reason of ruine when both are evill then when one of the two is good The contrary notwithstanding falls out sometimes and we are able to bring instance of it A man may very well report here what is observed of Hoseah the last King of the ten Tribes 2 King 17.2 c. viz. that the Text saith of him that hee sinned not so much as the Kings his Predecessors had done and yet in the dayes of this Prince the lesse blameable of all those that had swayed the Scepter before him the people were carried away prisoners into Assyria whence they never more returned and the Kingdome was laid in the dust that had stood and endured so long under the Dominion of so many wicked Kings Why did not this finall desolation befall it under Jeroboam authour of the idolatrous golden Calves Or under the detestable and bloudy Ahab that brought in Baalisme and massacred the Prophets The Hebrews render some reason for it When the King is evill say they the people have some pretence to be so too For the greatnesse of such an example the naughty influences of a depraved Court the incitements it