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
A64083	Bibliotheca politica: or An enquiry into the ancient constitution of the English government both in respect to the just extent of regal power, and the rights and liberties of the subject. Wherein all the chief arguments, as well against, as for the late revolution, are impartially represented, and considered, in thirteen dialogues. Collected out of the best authors, as well antient as modern. To which is added an alphabetical index to the whole work.; Bibliotheca politica.	Tyrrell, James, 1642-1718.	1694 (1694)	Wing T3582; ESTC P6200	1,210,521	1,073

our Saviour were not sufficient of it self to make a Law but stood in need of the Confirmation and Additional Authority of his own Apostles but we might justly suspect our selves mistaken in the meaning of our Saviours Words or in the Intention and design of his Sufferings had none of his Apostles who were immediately instructed by himself and acquainted with the most sacred Mysteries of his Kingdom ever Preacht any such Doctrine as this of Subjection to Princes And therefore to give you the more abundant Assurance of this I shall plainly shew you that the Apostles taught the same Doctrine and imitated the Example of their great Master I shall begin with St. Paul who hath as fully declared himself in this matter as it is possible any Man can do by Words Let every Soul be subject unto the Higher Powers for there is no Power but of God 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 This is a very express Testimony against Resistance and therefore I shall consider it at large for there have been various Arts used to pervert every Word of it and to make this Text speak quite contrary to the Design and Intention of the Apostle in it And therefore I shall divide the Words into three general parts 1. The Doctrine the Apostle instructs them in Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers 2. The Reason whereby he proves and inforces this Doctrine For there is no Power but of God the Powers that he are ordained of God Whoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God The Punishment of such Resistance and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation I shall begin with the Doctrine That every Soul must be Subject to the Higher Powers and here are three things to be explained 1. Who are contained under this general Expression of every Soul 2. Who are meant by the Higher Powers 3. What is meant by being Subject 1. Who are contained under this general Expression of every Soul which by an ordinary Hebraism signifies every Man For Man is a Compounded Creature of Body and Soul and either part of him is very often in Scripture put for the whole sometimes Flesh and sometimes Soul signifies the Man and when every Soul is oppos'd to the Higher Powers it must signifie all Men of what Rank or Condition soever they be who are not invested with this Higher Power And again says he The design of the Apostle as you shall hear more particularly by and by was to forbid all Resistance of Soveraign Princes and had he known of any Man or Number of Men who might Lawfully resist he ought not to have express't it in such general Terms as to forbid all without Exception And therefore I shall now a little more closely examine your main Argument or indeed Foundation of all that you have Urged for Resistance viz. That tho' it is unlawful for private or particular Men to resist the Supream Powers yet that it doth not extend unto the whole or Major part of a ●eople or Nation whenever they are outragiously oppress 't or assaulted by the Higher Powers beyond what they suppose they are able to bear whereas the Apostle here commands every Soul to be subject and therefore if the whole body of the People be subject to God they must also be subject to the Prince too because he acts by God's ●uthority and Commission were a Sovereign Prince the Peoples Creature that might be a good Maxim Rex maj●r singulis sed minor universis That the King is greater than any particular Subject but less than All together but if he be God's Minister he is upon that account as much greater than all as God is And that the whole body of the People altogether as well as one by one are equally concerned in this Command of being subject to the higher Powers is evident from this Consideration that nothing less than this will secure the Peace and Tranquillity of humane Societies The resistance of single Persons is more dangerous to themselves than to the Prince but a powerful Combination of Reb●ls is formidable to the most puissant Monarchs The greater Number of Subjects rebell against their Prince the more do they distress his Government and threaten his Crown and Dignity and if his Person and Authority be sacred the greater the violence is which is offered to him the greater is the Crime Had the Apostle exhorted the Romans after this manner Let no private and single man be so foolish as to rebel against his Prince who will be too strong for him but ●f you can raise sufficient forces to oppose against him if you can all consent to depose and murder him this is a very innocent and justifiable nay an heroical Atchievement which becomes a Free-born People How would this have secured the Peace and quiet of the World How would this have agreed with what follows that Princes are advanced by God and that to resist our Prince is to resist the Ordinance of God and that such Men shall be severely punish't for it in this World or the next for can the Apostle be thought absolutely to condemn Resistance if he makes it only unlawful to resist when we want Power to conquer which yet is all that can be made of it if by every Soul the Apostle means only particular men not the united Force and Power of Subjects Nor can there be any reason assigned why the Apostle should lay so strict a Command on particular Christians to be subject to the higher Powers which doth not equally concern whole Nations For if it can ever be lawful for a whole Nation to resist a Prince it may in the same Circumstances be equally lawful for a particular man to do it if a Nation may conspire against a Prince who invades their Rights their Liberties or their Religion why may not any man by the same reason resist a Prince when his single Rights and Liberties are invaded It is not so safe and prudent indeed for a private man to resist as for great and powerful Numbers but this makes resistance only a matter of Discretion not of Conscience if it be lawful for the whole body of a Nation to resist in such Cases it must be equally lawful for a particular man to do it but he doth it at his own Peril when he hath only his own single force to oppose against his Prince So that our Apostle must forbid resistance in all men or none For single Persons do not use to resist or rebel or there is no great danger to the Publick if they do but the Authority of Princes and the Security of publick Government is only endangered by a Combination of Rebels when the whole Nation or any considerable part for Numbers Power and Interest take Arms against their Prince If