Selected quad for the lemma: word_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	david_n	king_n	saul_n	3,246	5	10.1257	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44655	A letter to Mr. Samuel Johnson occasioned by a scurrilous pamphlet, intituled, Animadversions on Mr. Johnson's Answer to Jovian in three letters to a country-friend : at the end of which is reprinted the preface before the History of Edward and Richard the Second, to the end every thing may appear clearly to the reader, how little of that preface has been answered / both written by the Honourable Sir Robert Howard.	Howard, Robert, Sir, 1626-1698.	1692 (1692)	Wing H3000; ESTC R4333	26,604	76

not to be violated by any pretence of Power 't is this true Understanding and undivided Interest of the King and People that must secure and preserve the Honour and Safety of the Government and the shaking of both must always proceed from the temptation and apprehension that Passive Obedience and the Imperial Law must infuse into the King and People The next Dirt he would throw upon me is by a Side wind and performed with as little Dexterity as the rest of his random-Flings his Words are these I think he is as little obliged by a third Person who eased him of the drudgery of turning the Bible for Scripture-Examples of the Original Contract for had Sir R. H. used his own Eyes in the search he would have seen that the Instances of David and Jehoiada are no proofs that they were Pacta conventa c. Here he still persists in his usual Confidence to tell me I have not read what I have read for I did use my own Eyes and never the assistance of a third Person but he is pleased to call turning the Bible I suppose he means reading it a Drudgery he would not own I believe that he thinks reading or searching the Scripture a Drudgery but I suppose by his usual uncharitable Methods he would have it believ'd that I do If he means it of himself I ask him pardon for being so charitable to him if he would fix it on me 't is certainly one of the most uncharitable and groundless Scandals his Passion could have invented and at the same time gives himself a Character more like a Member of the Inquisition than of the Church of England who endeavour without proof or reason to raise Scandal and Persecution which Method this nameless Gentleman has practis'd with as much uncharitable Violence as any of those fierce pretenders to Religion have usually done But without thinking it a Drudgery I will use my own Eyes and cite some Verses of Scripture The first when David had seasted Abner Abner said unto David I will arise and go and will gather all Israel unto my Lord the King that they may make a League with thee and thou mayest reign over all that thy Heart desireth Here it seems a League was thought necessary that the King might reign According to this all the Elders of Israel came to the King in Hebron and King David made a League with them in Hebron before the Lord and they anointed David King over Israel And in another place Therefore came all the Elders of Israel to the King to Hebron and David made a Covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord and they anointed David King over Israel c. And Jehoiada made a Covenant between him and between all the People and between the King that they should be the Lord's People And 't is yet more distinctly set down in another Place And Jehoiada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King and the People that they should be the Lord's People between the King also and the People I hope now my angry Enemy will give me leave to say I have used my own Eyes and find his very dim or else will not see the plainest Words if against his Humour But to invalidate these Proofs he objects That we read of no Covenant made with the Men of Judah who anointed him King immediately on Saul's Death And the Men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David King over the House of Judah I know not how he would use this unless he means that because a Covenant was not express'd here therefore there was none spoke of any where else it may rather imply that there was such a thing because the People assembled as they us'd to do at other times when a Covenant was made But I trouble my self needlesly with such a frivolous shew of an Argument and with his ridiculous Attempt by his own notional Commentaries to try to puzzle the clear Instances of David and Jehoiada telling us that David's Covenant with the Elders was a plain Treaty of Peace and that Joash was under Age and therefore uncapable of contracting for himself though the Scripture does say directly that a Covenant was made between the King and the People But all that can be said is that the Scripture differs from his Opinion but 't is enough that here 't is expresly shewed that the People were made Parties But this nameless Author might have spared these weak Endeavours and used the Distinction that helps at all needs of Political and Imperial Law and then he needs not fear to allow these to be Covenants according to the Political Law since by the Imperial Law the King may choose whether they shall be valid or useful and so there needs no dispute whether a Covenant be a Covenant or no which indeed was all the Question here His next Assault proceeds in the method of an Inquisitor in these Words I might observe to you how little Reverence Sir R. discovers for Christian Religion and amidst all his Zeal for it takes the liberty to make sport with the Baptismal Vow and calls the dreadful Judgment which must pass on Kings as well as their meanest Subjects a pretended Account to be made up only with God The nameless Author has pull'd these two Places together to make an accumulative Charge but that of the pretended Account is at the latter end of my Preface and I shall give a separate account of it But first give me leave to observe to you how maliciously he endeavours to gain a belief of his own Truth and Ability that he could make appear how little Reverence I discover for Christian Religion I appeal to any that has perused how this Gentleman if he be one has treated me whether they can believe that he would admit any thing that might fix the deepest Scandal upon me and if he could have made evident what he would have others believe he could he would certainly have changed his Stile and instead of I might he would have said I will now observe to you how little Reverence Sir R. discovers for Christian Religion c. But this is suitable to his Method of shewing that his Malice exceeds his Understanding But to make this appear yet more clearly I will set down this Passage in my Preface in which he pretends he might find out that I make sport with the Baptismal Vow In that Place taking notice how Dr. Hicks having muster'd up many Tyrants to mould into one King yet affirms that such an Idolater and complicated Tyrant is not capable to do so much Mischief as opposing him will cause upon which I made this Reflection He could have invented but one Strain higher for the Cause of Passive Obedience by adding the Devil to the Idolater and complicated Tyrant and then our Passive Obedience would have taught us to submit to what in Baptism we promised to fight against the World the