Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	ordinance_n	power_n	resist_v	4,907	5	10.4011	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59571	A sermon preached before the Lords spiritual and temporal in Parliament assembled in the abbey-church at Westminster, on the thirtieth of January, 1699/700 / by the Most Reverend Father in God, John, Lord Arch-bishop of York.	Sharp, John, 1645-1714.	1700 (1700)	Wing S2999; ESTC R40613	9,996	25

whether we are really in the right or in the wrong as to our Persuasions in these Matters we must not act against them because we must not act against our Consciences Only this we are to remember That it extremely concerns us rightly to inform our Consciences in these Matters where Humane Laws have interposed their Authority For if we make a wrong Judgment of Things and upon that account deny our Obedience to the Laws where we should have given it Though we ought not to act against our Conscience as I said nay it would be a great Sin in us if we should yet on the other side we are not to be excused for disobeying the Commands of Authority where we might lawfully have obeyed them unless it should prove that it was through no fault of ours that our Judgments were misinformed And thus much concerning my First Head that of Obedience to Laws I now come to the other that of Subjection as that word implies patient Submission to our Governours where we cannot actively comply with what they require of us And this is that Doctrine of Passive Obedience which of late hath had so ill a Sound among many of us But I dare say for no other reason but because it may have been by some misrepresented For where-ever it is rightly understood it can give offence to none but to such as are really disaffected to the Government and do desire Alterations That there is such a Submission due from all Subjects to the Supreme Authority of the Place where they live as shall tie up their Hands from Opposing or Resisting it by Force is evident from the very Nature and Ends of Political Society And I dare say there is not that Country upon Earth let the Form of their Government be what it will Absolute Monarchy Legal Monarchy Aristocracy or Commonwealth where this is not a part of the Constitution Subjects must obey passively where they cannot obey actively Otherwise the Government would be precarious and the Publick Peace at the mercy of every Malecontent and a door would be set open to all the Insurrections Rebellions and Treasons in the World Nor is this only a State Doctrine but the Doctrine also of Iesus Christ and that a necessary indispensable one too as sufficiently appears from those famous words of St. Paul Rom. xiii 1 2. which are so plain that they need no Comment Let every soul saith he be subject to the Higher Powers for there is no Power but of God and the Powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation So that so long as this Text stands in our Bibles the Doctrine of Non-Resistance or Passive Obedience must be of Obligation to all Christians But then after I have said this care must be taken that this General Doctrine be not misapplied in particular Countries Though Non-Resistance or Passive Obedience be a Duty to all Subjects and under all Governments yet it is not expressed the same way in all Places but both the Objects and the Instances of it do vary in different Nations according to the different Models of their Government To speak this as plainly as I can As the Laws of the Land are the Measures of our Active Obedience so are also the same Laws the Measures of our Submission And as we are not bound to obey but where the Laws and Constitution require our Obedience so neither are we bound to submit but as the Laws and Constitution do require our Submission Taking now this to be the true stating of the Doctrine of Passive Obedience as I verily believe it is I do not see what colour of Reason can be offered against it Sure I am the common Pretence That it tends to introduce Tyranny and Arbitrary Government and to make People Slaves is quite out of doors For you see it makes no Princes Absolute where by the Constitution they were not so before Nor doth it destroy any Liberty of the Subjects that they were before in Possession of All that it doth is to preserve and secure the National Settlement in the same Posture and upon the same Foot in and upon which it is already Established And this is so true that there is not a Common-wealth in the World so free but that these Doctrines of Non-Resistance and Passive Obedience must for ever be taught there as necessary even for the Preservation of their Liberties As for what this Doctrine imports among us and in our Constitution or how far it is to be extended or limited it belongs not to me to determine But thus much the Occasion of this Day 's Meeting will not only warrant me but oblige me to say upon this Head and it is all the Application I shall now make namely That by all the Laws of this Land the Person of the KING is Sacred and Inviolable and that to attempt his Life in any way or upon any pretence always was and is High Treason And if so what are we to think of that Fact which was on this Day committed upon the Person of our late Sovereign of Blessed Memory King Charles I. taking it with all its Circumstances Why certainly how slight soever some People among us may make of it it was a most Barbarous Murther a Violation of the Laws of God and Man a Scandal to the Protestant Religion and a Reproach to the People of England whilst the impious Rage of a Few stands imputed by our Adversaries to the whole Nation All this I may say of this Fact for it is no more than is said of it by the Lords and Commons of England in that Act of Parliament which appoints the keeping of this Day as a Perpetual Fast. I am sensible how uneasie some are at the mentioning of this and how gladly they would have both the Thing and the Memorial of it forgot among us I must confess I could wish so too provided we were sure that God had forgot it so I mean forgot it as that we were no longer obnoxious to his Judgments upon the account of that Innocent Blood And provided likewise in the second place that those Factious Republican Principles which have once over-turn'd our Government and brought an Excellent Prince to an unhappy End were so far forgot among us as that there was no Danger from them of ever having this or the like Tragedy acted again in our Nation But so long as we have Apprehensions from either of these things so long it will be fit for us to remember this Fact and this Day and both to implore the Mercy of God that neither the Guilt of that Sacred and Innocent Blood nor those other Sins by which God was provoked to deliver up both us and our King into the Hands of cruel and unreasonable Men may at any time hereafter be visited upon us or our Posterity And likewise to suffer our selves to be put in mind of that Duty which by St. Paul's Authority I have been all this while insisting on namely to be subject to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates Or if you will rather take it in the words of Solomon Prov. xxiv 21. to fear the Lord and the King and not to meddle with them that are given to change FINIS