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A47540
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The samaritan rebels perjured, by a covenant of association discovered in a sermon preach'd at the assizes holden at Northampton, March 30th, 1682 / by John Knight.
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Knight, John, 1651-1712.
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1682
(1682)
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Wing K688; ESTC R17067
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17,530
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39
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urge excepting onely their obstinate Will which was beyond all Argument and made all the other but pretences yet these were enough to engage the Faction They had then none of the Reasons ready which have been since in Fashion There was then no †Tho' the Levity of Greece was such that they shifted their first Monarchy for a Government by many yet that was so natural to them that the Cretian Boyes could not play without their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Monarchs to rule each company Ex Herac. de Polit. Cretens apud Aelian State of Venice or Amsterdam to give a President of Democratic Confusion or Aristocratic Ambition they never pleaded against the Divine right of Monarchy and Kings for they knew they * 1 Sam. 8 5. beg'd one at the Oracle of God they knew too that 't was for the †Prov. 28.2 Iniquity of a Land that many were the Governours thereof so that if there had been no Sin in any Nation no Nation would have had more Governours than one at once Supream and consequently Government by plurality is not originally from Nature or from God but from Iniquity and Transgression and therefore Monarchy is peculiarly Divine Again can I believe Israel could remonstrate against their King for Invading of their Rights after they had so eagerly Solicited they might have a King even against all their Precautions of the severity of his Rule and after Samuel had told them what the 1 Sam. 8. Jus Regis was what Inviolable Claim and Title their King had to them Can we Imagine they thought his different Opinions his strange Religion would give them Warrant to seize his Throne that the Violations of his own Engagements unto them would justify their resistance against him No they knew that if these were perswasives to Rebellion the best of Men and Kings would be obnoxious to feel their Arms for a Libel upon his Fame or Jealousies fomented by Letters to Friends weekly Intelligences seditious Courants against his Administration would be enough to Stimulate the People into a Rebellion thô the Prince were †Numb 16.1 2. a Moses * 2 Sam. 15.13 a David or †1 Sam. 8.7 a God They knew Obedience followed the Paternity not the Man and that a morose Parent remain'd a Parent i. e. Invested still in his Right to Govern thô his Regiment were Intolerable they knew the Charter of Subjection was not for Liberty but Obedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Homil. 6. Ad Popu. Antiochenum Chrysos After this rate could I destroy all the force of those Arguments which have been ever since obtruded upon the World I 'le Instance in one more than which I know no Pretence for an Association more plausible or more rational and 't is this that the Laws of Nature countenance it when it seems necessary for our self-preservation Thô I believe this in Samaria had no Foundation real there being no mercenary Forces about the King to strike a Terror into the good People Now I would fain ask whether it be a Law of Nature that men should form an unnatural Conspiracy onely for fear their Persons may be harm'd or whether it be more natural for me to go to a Witch for Counsel rather than trust Omnipotence for my Protection whether it be Natures Law that I think Ill of my own Head Conspire against the Breath of my Nostrils whom I am positively forbid to Curse even in my Thought It is a repeated Precept this of Divine Authority And if after all it be Natures Law to make me Jealous Envious False and Treacherous against my Parent and my Soveraign Gods positive Laws are a contradiction to his Laws of Nature reconcile the Blasphemy then or abjure the Association MUCH such another Weapon have I seen sharpened for Resistance by a Scotch Philistine but no Gyant I mean Buchanan a leading Leaguer he †Buchan de Jure Regni apud Scotos p. 50 56. sayes the Primitive Christians shew'd no Resistance onely because they were too weak to maintain it OH the Hypocrisie of the great Apostle of the Gentiles if this were true yea which of all Gods Precepts either Moral or Evangelical could find Observance if they were designed to oblige such onely as were Incapacitated to break them 'T IS as if the Prohibition of Adultery had been Dictated to the Sick and violent Assaults were forbidden only the Bedrid and the Cripple This indeed gives Indication that their Spirit of Enthusiasm is that which worketh in the Children of Disobedience This shews what Fathers taught these men for none of the Primitive ones but would have Scourged their Blasphemy and for this let those who have leisure consult the 5th 6th and 7th Homilies of St. Chrysostome to the People of Antioch and Tertullians Apologeticks where they shall find 't was not Cowardice nor Weakness but Piety and Courage engaged them to Subjection and Tertullian tells us that in his dayes the Christian Martyrs were enough to Conquer all their Tyrants thô they had used no other Weapons than the Stakes they dyed at IN short such Doctrines rifle the Tombs of Saints and rob them of their Crowns of Martyrdome as well as aim at that other Sacriledge of Stripping Kings of their Crowns of Honour Nor is such Divinity less absurd than the Roman Legends for to reconcile Piety to God with disloyalty to his Ministers to Incorporate Perjuries and Seditions with Authentick Canons is as odd a Conceit as that other Miracle in Masquerade their Trasubstantiation TO conclude if such Enemies to the Government had not somewhat more to trust to beside their Arguments their Cause would vanish there being no fear of a real Tragedy when the Actors and the Instruments are all Theatrical FOR neither Reason nor Religion give any thing away from the Lord to the Servant he might Rob him of somewhat by denying his Obedience and defending his Guilt by an Association but his Disloyalty must press him with a complicated Guilt and consequently Subject him under Gods Curses in Proportion For as it takes rise in Hypocrisie Hatred and unnatural Impiety so it ends in Ruine Shame and Captivity and the Rebel Associates are by their Covenant link't only to Miseries Epidemical for sayes our Prophet in the last Clause of this Verse Their Judgment comes up as Hemlock in the Furrows of the Field Which is such an Issue of Perjury and Sedition we ought to dread and with all Intention of Devotion deprecate for the sake of that Prince of Peace who shed his Blood for us even Jesus Christ To whom with God the Father of Mercy and the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Concord be all Honour c. FINIS