Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	good_a	seed_n	sow_v	1,957	5	9.8778	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44305	A survey of the insolent and infamous libel, entituled, Naphtali &c. Part I wherein several things falling in debate in these times are considered, and some doctrines in lex rex and the apolog. narration, called by this author martyrs, are brought to the touch-stone representing the dreadful aspect of Naphtali's principles upon the powers ordained by God, and detecting the horrid consequences in practice necessarily resulting from such principles, if owned and received by people.	Honyman, Andrew, 1619-1676.	1668 (1668)	Wing H2604; ESTC R7940	125,044	140

it is the place and calling of private persons to reform or remove them and step in and occupy their places Thus the profane Juglar if he will deservedly take the stile which he undeservedly gives his opposites p. 54 makes a Welch-mans hose of the words of the Covenant to provoke people to intrusion in the Magistrates office Who ever heard of such a thing that these words in our places and callings do not restrict private mens endeavours to wayes fit for their places and callings What a strange exigesis or explication as he calls it is that of our endeavours in our places and callings to reform i. e. That we shall go out of our places and callings to reform and being private men shall occupy the Magistrates place and remove him and punish him or that private men only did swear conditionally to act in their places and callings so long as they in eminency acted in their places and callings for Religion with a reserve to run out of our places and callings when they deserted and abused theirs What Jesuitical jugling in the matter of the Oath is this This is a new discovery this man hath given us of the deceitful ambiguities of the Covenant to help us out of love with it The words saith he are exegetick and ampliative exegetick thus I swear in my calling and place all dayes of my life to endeavour c. i. e. When I see cause I swear I shall flee out of my place and calling to do so good a work and will not be restricted to it But how are they ampliative the vain Orator would tell us Are the words that bind to do in our places and callings oblieging to a duty more amply and extensively then they import viz. That we should stretch our selves beyond our line and intrude in places God hath not called us unto How intolerable is this abuse offered to the Covenant and Gods people too in such vain and senseless glosses O! But he builds much upon the practice of our first Reformers and Phineas fact must justifie that and that must justifie all modern insurrections As to the work of Reformation of Religion at first in this Land it is our desire to speak honourably of it so far as we can with truth Blessed be God for that great work of bringing in his Truth amongst us and delivering us from the dark and miserable bondage of antichristian Tyranny and he who delivered us keep us from returning to that house of Egyptian bondage But we cannot holding to the truth justifie all courses that were used then for carrying on the work of Reformation neither are we much concerned so to do If some instruments thereof were guilty of sedition or sacriledge or self-seeking while the work of God was in hands what is that to us who own the result of the work as good great and glorious through the Lords marvelous operation If sinful courses were then used by men the mercy of God in the result of the work was to us the more marvelous and the fuller of glorious Grace that God did not for the disorders of instruments disappoint the work and leave us destitute of the Gospel-light We may say as the blind man in the Gospel who had his eyes opened said Whether he was a sinner that opened his eyes or not he knew not but this he knew that whereas he was blind now he did see Joh. 9.25 So whither they who were instrumental in our Reformation sinned in their way or not we are not much concerned to enquire But we know that through Gods good guiding a merciful work in the result was wrought to them and to us which work we own and cleave to and will through grace do so to the end it is an ordinary matter for the all-wise providence of God to bring forth out of mens dark and disorderly actings great works of light and order The Saviour of the world was crucified by wicked hands yet the result was the redemption of the world How many Ministers go to hell for their unsincere handling of Gods Word and miscarriages in their life yet God makes use of his own Ordinance in their hands to bring Souls to Heaven notwithstanding of their corrupt manner of dealing in his holy things A leprous hand may sow good seed but he were a fool of the first magnitude who would either make a panegyrick in praise of a leprous hand or perswade all that sow good seed to have such hands Heirs of glory may be gotten in bastardy or fornication and adultery and yet these are not good but evil Let God be glorified who in his wisdom brings order out of confusion and light out of darkness But let us not stand superstitiously upon the justifying of all their deeds that went before us nor indeavour to imitate and follow the same further then they are according to Gods mind Be ye not as your fathers is a good rule when fathers fall off and deviate from the rule of God's will we are not to live by examples but by precepts and if we will look to examples we want not these of the primitive Christians to set before us whose practices in bringing in Religion into the world wherein they never used any undutiful resistance to or violence upon Magistrates is more regardable by us then any precedents in these dregs of time and in the end of this corrupt world Some have said Religion would never have been reformed if violence had not been used upon Magistrates but why should men take on them to limite God Hath he not shewed his power in several parts of the world in working on the hearts of supreme Magistrates and causing them to go before others in reformation of abuses and could he not so do also elsewhere without the aid of popular tumults which are but evil examples to the posterity But men are too apt to be bold in ante-verting Gods way and to follow their own carnal prudence and affections in that which they are set upon and thereupon when they prosper to fancy a divine approbation of their way so self-loving are men ordinarily But let it be so that much of the way of these who were at first instrumental in the Reformation in this Land were justifiable upon the account of purging the Church from the horrid grossness of idolatry corruption of doctrine tyranny and usurpation over poor Souls wherewith the man of sin had for many ages defiled and burthened the poor Church and upon the account of the open hostility to the Truth wherein Magistrates then stood together with the inbringing of forraign furious forces upon us even to the heart of our Land How unlike was the case then to what it is now And how unable is the case now to bear the burthen of a conclusion for such practices as then were used Seing we can avow it in the presence of God that we contend for that same Faith and Religion that our Predecessors stood for against the powers of that time and will maintain the same against all Novators who upon account of a piece of Church-order allowed by our Reformers now re-established instigate any private persons who have power enough to destroy all Magistracy and Order in the Land because of the owning thereof and to occupy their rooms as N. clearly doth And then forsooth this man and his complies shall be in their places and callings according to the Covenant as he expones it when they get in to the Chair of Government and all our Nobles and Magistrates driven into corners or made to lacky these purely mortified States-men In the Pictland-hill business an Essay for this was made but the party magnis excidit ausis They had thoughts to repair their losses and to make themselves rich by a pure Reformation getting all the interests of the Kingdom at one clap into their hands though perhaps they would have forced us to believe that all their external gains had been but accidental consequences of their heavenly designs But God rolled out of the way such a stumbling and snare to many which might have arisen from their success it was infoelix scelus and so escaped the reputation of a Vertue and of an heroical Exploit FINIS Dr. Whitgift and Mr. Hookers Lex Rex p. 344. Apol. p. 162. Lex Rex p. 322. Naph pag. 17 18 19. Napht. p. 19.

Yet now that this piece is in our hand it with its fellowes deserves some consideration and what shall be said shall be reduced to these heads viz. The Libellers endeavour to confound humane Societies and to overthrow Magistracy His injurious revilings of the Kings Majesty Parliament Council Commission Judges Town of Edinburgh c. His reproaches against the Ministery of the Church and all ranks thereof with his unsound Doctrines anent their Callings and Stations His endeavours to dissipate the Church of Christ in this Land and therein to state a perpetual schisme His Damnable pride and contempt of all others His tragical complaints of persecution and vain glorying in the Martyrs of his way In touching upon these the most material things of his book shall be spoken to in the following part of this treatise withall for the Reader 's edification we shall now and then turn aside to usefull digressions As 1. Concerning his Majesties Supremacy in Church affairs which this Libeller calls falsly an usurpation of the Crown of Christ 2. Concerning the Covenants and obligation thereof and the falsly alledged perjury in owning Episcopacy 3. Concerning the warrantableness of the Episcopal office falsely called by the Libeller Antichristian usurpation 4. Concerning the lawfulness of the calling of the present Ministery of Scotland whom he calls Thieves Wolves c. 5. The sinfulness of stating a separation from our Church-assemblies which he calls Curats Conventicles Those things being with any satisfaction spoken to once for all for Who can endure that profusion of pretious time as to be alwayes drawing the rug-saw of contention about such matters will contribute to clear our judgements and allay our animosities The Lord give us understanding in all things and blesse us with truth and peace THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THe Libeller his endeavours to confound and dissolve humane Societies and to overthrow Magistracy in this Land Page 1. CHAP. II. Of violent resistance to the Powers ordain'd of God by meer private persons their Subjects Page 12. CHAP. III. That such as are invested with sacred and inviolable Soveraignty have divine exemption and priviledge of impunity from their own Subjects Page 71. CHAP. IV. Anent the following of Phineas fact of heroick or extraordinary impulsions and concerning some courses taken at our first Reformation and their exemplariness Page 104. PART I. CHAP. I. The Libeller his endeavours to confound and dissolve humane Societies and to overthrow Magistracy in this Land GOD Almighty having made Man a rational Creature and fit for society 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosopher speaketh hath appointed besides aeconomical Societies the coalition of people into greater Bodies consisting of many Families under one Political Government for mutual help to be given by men one to another in their necessities for protection both of the whole Body and of every Member interessed in the Society and for the procuring of the good and happiness of all in this life and in a better That these Societies might be orderly regulated in their acts the God of order hath appointed superiour Powers and Heads over the multitudes of men in several bounds of the world where he hath disposed their habitations Magistracy God's Ordinance is that golden clasp and band that holds together humane Societies in a consistent unity that mens corruptions may not dash them one upon another as pot-sheards to their mutual ruine and general confusion Magistracy is as the vital Spirits of humane Societies without which they were but as dead carcasses it is as the Nerves and Sinews in the Body without which there could be no right motion Hence there are no Nations so barbarous but by natural instinct and the dictates of reason are led together into politick associations for their subsistance in general for the mutual help one of another and for the protection of the weaker against the violence and wrongs of the stronger And by a divine instinct great multitudes of men embodyed together are brought to humble themselves and submit to Magistracy of one sort or another which is not a meer device of wise men but an holy Ordinance of the only wise God Vocatio est saith Calv. lib. 4. inst cap. 20. S. 4. non modo sancta legittima coram Deo sed sacerrima in totâ mortalium vitâ longè honestissima Now albeit the Lord hath not by any precept particularly determined the bounds of every embodyed political Society there being some greater some lesser acting under their several Heads and Soveraign Magistrates Yet when politick Bodies are setled in voluntary associations or what ever way in the course of Divine Providence they have been reduced to live under the same Laws and Authorities and have continued long in the union of a common interest under the protection of Magistracy to break off from the body in seditious secessions cannot but be displeasing to God And they are no other then Firebrands confounders of humane Society fighters against God and his Ordinance who working upon the advantages they have from peoples discontentments upon whatever pretence do instigate them either to cut off themselves from the body of the Common-wealth whereof they are Members or to fall with violence upon the whole body though they be the far lesser part thereof or to invade the inviolable by Subjects Majesty of the supreme Authority which bears the sacred impress of God How far this Libeller goeth this way shall appear by his Tenets This Libeller's mind is plainly this That when the ends of Government are manifestly perverted the injured persons one or moe obligation thereunto ceaseth the band thereof is dissolved they are liberate from it and do relapse into their primaeve liberty and priviledge and as the similitude of their case and exigence of cause doth require may upon the very same principles again associate and joyn for their better defence and preservation as they did at first enter into Societies Thus he Pag. 16. Pag. 150. And further he avows That not only no obedience but no alleagiance n. b. is to be given to any created Power on earth but with this restriction in defence of Religion and Liberty according to the Covenants Pag. 177. And what Religion he means in application to the hypothesis of the Times he explains plainly Pag. 54. where he sayes The extirpation of Prelacy is the main covenanted Religious Duty in the endeavour whereof all the zeal of the faithful should be concentred And as to the liberty of the Subjects the determining of what it is must not be referred to the Subjects Representatives in Parliament For saith he Pag. 102. The Parliament under pretence of vindicating and declaring the Kings just Right and Prerogative have wholly corrupted and innovated the well-tempered and firm constitution of our ancient Government and utterly subverted the liberty of the Subject Pag. 95. So that what this liberty is must be referred to the private discretive judgement of every man and this must determine him to

unjust he is not bound to submit to it And therefore if he be in probale capacity he will think it his duty to fall upon the Magistrate pull the Sword out of his hand call in to his assistance whom he may raise violent seditions against the Magistrate and what may he not do for his own deliverance Thus under this colour all evil-doers are encouraged to use violence against the Magistrate and let this Libeller consider how he will stop the gap which he hath opened to confusion the matter according to his mind being referred to each particular person to judge of the justice of his own suffering and his discretive judgement anent this must determine him to resist as he is able when he thinks himself wronged shall not this be a source of continual seditions and violent insurrections against the Magistrate even when he proceeds most justly Again how can Magistrates in doing their duty be secured from violence according to this mans way or from continual insurrections of persons pretending their innocency It is in vain to say Let Magistrates rule rightly and not oppress and then Subjects will do their duty for albeit be true faithful and just Magistrates may in the way of their duty expect from God that he will incline the hearts of their Subjects to repay duty to them yet in the holy permissive providence of God it comes often to pass that the best Princes are not best used by their Subjects God thus teaching good Princes to rule in his fear and righteousness with an eye to his will and with respect to that crown of Life whatever hard measure they have from seditious people How often is it found that Subjects are unruly and seditious even against good Magistrates Some crossing of the will of a froward and furious party may move them to fancy their Prince a Tyrant and as one that is an injurious and intolerable Oppressour whereupon they account themselves free to offer violence to him under the cloak of self-defence and goes on from resistance to revenge if they can have the upper-hand over him and will not cease the fury of evil consciences instigating them till they ruine the Prince whom they have greatly provoked in order to self-preservation from what they ●e●● from him and they will be ready even to mock Justice in destroying him for saving of themselves as they call it but the end is the destruction of their souls and bodies for such wickedness Let Histories be looked into it will be found that hardly did ever people resist a Prince with violence but in end the matter came to revenge if they had power neither could they rest but in his ruine And also it will be found that oft-times the best Princes have been worst used or at least as evil as the naughtiest Princes Look to the Roman Emperors while they were Pagans how many amongst them who were good as Heathens might be came under the same or worse fate by the unjust violence of their Subjects with these who were the worst Princes Look to Christian Emperors and Kings how many of them who were truly good were oppressed and destroyed by their Subjects sometimes inflammed with superstition which they called Religion and superstitious respect to the Roman See the Sentences whereof were accounted as Oracles in these dark times and sometimes wrought upon by seditious Ring-leaders buzzing into their ears great abuses done to them in the matter of their Liberties Yea amongst our own Kings some of the best have been as evil used by prevailing parties amongst the people as some of the worst When once that gap is opened and people taught that any party of them strong enough may get up against the King and all Magistrates when they judge them to deal wrongously and injuriously with them the reverence of Soveraignty is lost the evil wit of a seditious Party can soon paint the best King as a black and ugly Tyrant and under that form waken up others to conspire to his destruction which should make all the fearers of God rather to endure some acts of real Tyranny then by their Doctrines or Practices of resistance open a door to the destruction of good Kings by a party not of their spirit but lurking under their pretences and to the continual dissolution concussion and desolation of humane Societies It is good for us to hold close to that necessary distinction which all sound Divines have held of obedience or subjection active and subjection passive where the former cannot be given for fear of sinning against God the Magistrat's superior and who should be obeyed rather than any man in the world the latter if we stay within his Dominions and with-draw not from under his Soveraignty putting our selves under the protection of another soveraign Power is necessary And so the Apology p. 376 377. acknowledged this to be necessary when active obedience could not be given but Naphtali Pag. 28. repents of this moderation and contradicts the Apology calling this submission brutal though it be upon rational grounds and the fierce violence against Magistrates is rather brutal ●ver●ing That none pleads for this submission who have not prostituted their conscience to absolute obedience to Princes arbitrements and avowing that illimited obedience is more rational then illimited subjection and that they are but flatterers that have renounced conscience who plead against obedience in all things to the Powers and yet will plead for passive submission In this Category must all they stand who have owned the sound Doctrine of this Distinction and these are the soundest Divines that ever we had in the Church of God yea the Apologist himself if he be worthy to be named with these escapes not this blow Good God! To what times are we reserved to see so certain truths that may be reckoned among the immovables of Religion and the ancient land-marks removed by an up-start furious Crue who by their new Principles as false as new seek to confound both Church and State The lawfulness of private mens counter-acting and violent resistance to a whole Church and a whole State is a main Article of their new Faith and to do so is one of their new Commandments added to God's But the Libeller is all alongs much in pressing violent resistance to all powers from the highest to the lowest and of the whole body of the people by any party thereof though the far minor and lesser part in the cause of Religion his Religion in the hypothesis debated in the times is the external form of Church-government about which he sayes all the zeal of the godly should be concentred a low zeal God knoweth that hath no higher objects And laying down grounds some true some false concerning Religion he labours to animate any party that think themselves able to violent all Magistrates and the body of the people about this and to strengthen themselves by combinations threatning Gods judgements against them who do not combine for