Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	great_a	king_n	people_n	5,724	5	4.8029	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44795	An information, and also advice to the Armie on both parts, and this present Committee of Safety newly erected, and to the late Parliament and also to all people who seeks peace and righteousness, and are for the good old cause, so much talked on. This is presented by him who stands off, and from all self-interests and parties, and wisheth that the wisdom of God may guide you all, and division and destruction may cease. By Francis Howgil.	Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.	1659 (1659)	Wing H3167; ESTC R202551	7,550	13

thereof the oppression whereof hath reached heaven even to the Throne of God and hee hath considered it though you would not but in stead of removing of it established it for which he was wrath with you you have lost your Crown and hee hath laid you by as men who would not accomplish his end and let his people go free and let me tell you It was rashly and proudly done of you after so many valiant Officers who had waded through a sea of troubles though I shall not say but they sought themselves too much which I hope God will give them to see And after they had subdued the Insurrection in Cheshir● and had considered what might best conduce for the welfare of the Army and for the Nations good and safety and to present it to you desiring your Concurrence therein and though they did send among their quarters for Subscriptions they knowing before hand except it carried some bulk or at least seemed a matter of concernment y●u would take less notice of it that you should in your heat and passion being filled with Jealousies Vote out these Officers at their return from performing the faithful service to you and the Nation it was an unworthy gratification and to put in others less capable onely to exalt your own power and rather to draw back to bonda●e then going forward to perfect the business a foresaid For these and many more instances that I might lay before you it was just with the Lord to remove you and not to prosper you and to overturn you because you stood not in his counsel neither hearkened to them who would have wished you well with whom Gods counsel is and it is just you are turned out and let me advise you and despise not my counsel for the counsel of the mighty hath sailed take Councel at a Shepherd or a Man of low degree be you quiet and seek not revenge neither blow the sparks nor kindle heat in peoples minds neither provoke the Army to bloodshed but rather disswade them and wait t● see what the Lord will do if he will raise up any to perfect that long desired and hoped for end freedom and liberty in the things that are just as men and in the things o● God without imposition and if you live to have yo● share among the people in this it will be well and yo● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no cause to repent of being still and quiet though you may have cause to repent of your rashness and of the things before mentioned 10. And you of the English Army who were dissatisfied with the proceedings of the late Parlament against you 〈◊〉 wish there be not too much selfe in you in the thing rather for your own advancement and particular interest then that the Good Old Cause profest was not carried on by the Parlament according to your desire and the peoples expectations If self-interest was the cause as it is to be feared there was so much of that you will be crossed in your expectation for that is the thing which hath obstructed the thing intended all along since the thing was asserted that will soon be made manifest and there remains a ground in your selves which I believe will hinder the end proposed which must be done away before you can do much for God though you may profess and declare in words much which may take with some for a while yet it wil not satisfie long I wish from my heart good to you all but there is something stands betwixt you and good things you would like the rest please all men but that cannot bee stand to the good and let your actions answer the witness of God in the worst And you say in your Declaration you have an intention to take away tythes and settle some way for a godly preaching Ministry I say they will need none of the States or Commonwealths maintenance And if you should take them away and settle any thing by way of Compulsion upon the people for any Ministry you leave us in bondage and we must declare against that as against Tythes and we cannot pay neither the one nor the other for conscience sake And you who are the Committee of Safety newly erected yea many of you have seen or at least might have seen what hath hindred the end proposed You have a day of Visitation God will try all sorts of men if any will be faithful to the end Therefore this I say to you and the rest of the Army Throw down all those corrupt Laws made about Religion Mass-houses Clerks-wages forced maintenance and meddle not with it for that thing broke all Parliaments and Councils hitherto and so will it do you if you meddle with it leave all people free without imposition of any maintenance to any or else you do nought but let every one be and let every judgement maintain their own and leave people free as to the Worship of God only to Christ who is Head and Ruler of his Church and Lord over the Conscience and is his alone Right which if you shall not do he will throw you down also Therefore let him have room and way or else that which resisteth will be cut off and this is Gods Word unyou all Take heed of gratifying any to the embondaging of others let tythes and forced maintenance go down and if for the good of the Nation or Commonwealth as in things Civil all which a free heart will most readily and willingly assist you in what money you need for the Armies pay or otherwise for the good of the Nation Stand not puzling about business not worth mentioning no● st●●ving who shall be greatest but remove the present Opp●●ss●●n● and that which is the cause thereof and set no 〈◊〉 nor unrighteous men in place of authority satisfie the Nations with Deeds Words will not with things and not with Names that will not and it is not a King a Parliament a Protector a Councel or Senate we look at will do the thing Neither people be ye wedded and glewed to Names he that purposeth righteousness and equity in his heart and walks after it is that which God will bless and prosper for when Kings Parliaments and Councels are gone from the power of God they are for the thraldom of a Nation and not for its liberty but this I forewarn you Whatever you do meddle not in the things of God or about Religion let that alone and you will more readily serve the necessity which the present affairs calls for and the common civil and equal liberty of all men Oh that you had Wisdom and the counsel of the Lord were with you How soon might things be established Then would you do more in one day then in ten while you consult with your reasons and the old corrupt Laws many of which 〈…〉 e good for nought but the fire Thus I have in all faithfulness cleared my conscience ●nto you as the Lord presented things to me and happy 〈…〉 e they that can receive them for in this I am not alone ●or many thousands will bear testimony hereunto So I rest 〈◊〉 the peace of God which no man can hinder me of Subscribing my self a faithful friend to the Common-wealth and all the good people therein FRANCIS HOWGIL The End

AN ●NFORMATION AND ALSO ADVICE TO THE ARMIE On both parts and this present Committee of Safety Newly erected and to the late PARLIAMENT AND ALSO ●o all People who seeks peace and righteousness and are for the Good old Cause so much talked on ● is presented by him who stands off and from all self-Inte●●sts and Parties and wisheth that the wisdom of God may ●●ide you all and division and destruction may cease By Francis Howgil LONDON Printed in the Year 1659. An Information and also Advice to the Army on both parts and this present Committee of Safety newly erected and to the late PARLIAMENT c. WHat is there not a wise man among you who seeks not himself but the good of all that you so blow the sparks on every hand and exasperate the spirits on● of another and rather are for strife then for healing And would ye have the fire kindled to rise up in such a great flame as both to destroy your selves and many innocent people in the Nation What is every one seeking to gratifie his Interests and Party and to satisfie his will And is there none that seeks that the Will of God may be done in earth among the sons of men that God might once delight to do us good and settle these Nations in peace and freedom as men and as Christians 1. Consider Hath not this been the end which hath been proposed by all good men who have not sought themselves but hath ventured all that this might be accomplished which if it had been or were or could be attained unto would be a perfect recompence and satisfaction of all and to all who have sought it in their heart viz. Freedom from oppression in their persons and estates which hath not been by reason of the many wicked Laws which have been imposed to satisfie the self-interests of some particular men which did imbondage all other Secondly Liberty and freedom of conscience in the exercise of their consciences to Christ who is Gods annointed according to the manifestation of his Light and Spirit to them unto whom and before whom all must give an account and be judged but this hath been hitherto hindred by them who have re-assumed a Power and have usurped Authority to themselves and have made laws to the imbondaging of the dear and precious people of God in these Nations though you have been talking of the Good old Cause these are not revocated and overturned by which very many suffers to this day 2. It is not Names Titles Denominations and Words that we look after and which will effect the thing proposed which while some have been contending after have let go the thing in hand and have lost it and so sets up a particular interest and it clothes it self with the words and fair speeches but nothing is brought forth and so by fair speeches and flatteries the people have been deceived and cheated 3. Should not all Rule and Authority be for the good and safety 〈◊〉 ●nd well-being of a Nation or Common-Wealth and not to set up an arbitrary Power in their own Wills to rule in Tyranny and Oppression to satisfie their own lusts to the imbondaging of all the people and when any Power or Authority have deviated or swerved from this they became no other but Tyrants and Oppressors for the thing intended being lost the Ruler or Rulers rule no more for God neither he account them such whatsoever they may account themselves and therefore hath raised another thing to overthrow that power as hath been evident in this Nation in these many revolutions although that power which was first in being which was ordained for the end aforesaid being swerved from the thing might say to that which rose up against it that it was rebellion and treason and declare it to be such in the ears of the people as hath been done by ●ivers which is in the memory of most so that I need not instance when I say it was not so accounted by the Lord and he hath given testimony of this by the overthrowing the former and raising up the latter and hath stood by it while it stood in his counsel as for one instance the Long-Parliament against the late King which in mans account could be looked upon to be no other then rebellion yet God gave a signal testimony to the one while they stood in the power of God and against the other 4. Was not Israel governed sometime by Judges sometimes by the Elders and sometime by Kings and while they stood in the counsel of the Lord and the people hearkned to them was not the Lord among them and sometime raised up unlikely means as to mans wisdom as David a Shepherds Boy and Gideon a Thresher and he was made a Judge and a Redeemer of Israel out of their slavery but mind this still While they stood in Gods equal counsel which led to do equally to and for the good of all according to Gods institution and appointment then they were blessed but when either Ruler Governor or Governors went from the power of the Lord in which they onely had authority to rule and to do justly but when they went from that and became corrupt in their minds and hearts and blindness came upon them as it is said Blindness happened to Israel through their unbelief and what was the effect thereof The Judges judged for rewards and gifts the Prophets prophesied for hire and the Pri●sts divined for money and the people ●oved to have it so and the end thereof was misery for God raised up another thing and overthrew the Judges Prophets Priests and People the ancient and honourable that were the head and the false prophets which were the tail Is not the same blindness happened to England When will her Rulers Judges Prophets Priests see their error Is 〈◊〉 ever like to be a free Nation till all act freely for God without imposing heavy burthens and giving as much to one Officer imployed in the publike service as would serve twenty and make so many of them too When will these things be done away that every one may be approved and manifest how be loves his Nation or how he seeks the good thereof by laying out himself freely and acting freely without so much chargeableness to the Nation I do not mean the Soldiery but men imployed in civil affairs and the Ministry who would be counted godly and painful to publish freely or else be silent 6. The ancient Courtiers having found so much ease and profit by the late King turned all Cavaliers and cryed up the Prerogative of the King above Law and Equity setting that aside wholly which all good government was intended for as the safety of the people and freedom from oppression tyranny and usurpation and that none might be imbondaged in the Worship of God but when he and his assistants sought to inthrall all and imbondage all both in civil and Ecclesiastical things as they were called the

Long-Parliament and the People that aided them at that time counted it no treason to oppose him seeing the end was not answered which he should have satisfied and God desided the controversie i● overthrowing the one and establishing the other for a season yet many are so blind to this day that they judge the Nation cannot be established in freedom without a King as though such a Name were Essential onely to freedom and without it could not be obtained but the judicious will see this ignorance So now many are so doting on the Name of a Parliament as though it were essential or the name to be the foundation of Government and cryes up the Priviledge of Parliament as the former did Prerogative and would fight about a Name in their heat and passion and lose the thing intended though they be the Representative of the people to do good to the people and not hurt they are accounted as good servants to God and to them that elected them but if they would so soon as got together set up a particular Interest which serves to the imbondaging of the whole and then cry up their priviledge to do what they list then it is no rebellion in Gods account neither in the account of just men to call them away when they do not perform the thing intended but if they will not hearken to the cry of their Masters the People but may be call them rebels or traytors if they should be turned out because they have clothed themselves with the name of higher power when alas they are gone from that in which their power priviledge and authority stood 8. And this I have to say to that part of the Army who stands so much upon the name of Parliament and would seem to oppose all the rest whether army or the people from whence their power did at first arise when they accomplish not the end that they meet for neither intended so to do but to set up some and make the rest always sufferers if you should take part herein and manage your weapons for a sound or a name or for something that may sute you though damnifie many thousands it will not go well with you for God looketh not as man neither judges he according to mans wisdom therefore be not rash nor hasty to shed blood upon this account but take counsel in time lest an outstretched arm stop you in your way to your detriment and hurt and you may repent too late it is not your declaring in words for the Good Old Cause neither your Proclamations nor Declarations in good words neither taking God to witness that will satisfie the people who have been and are present sufferers we have had enough of that from all the former Asserters of liberty in words but the thing is not done so be less in words and more in action and deeds for righteousness and though you may seemingly retort the sayings of this Army in England upon them how they received Commissions from the Parlament and promised to be faithful to them and did that they repented of that such things should get up to rule have dominion as was acted by the two late Protectors whom the Parlament and you judged Usurpers and so you take advantage at this to spread forth this to their reproach in the nation this is not brotherly done neither is that spirit that will forgive and suffer long but is heady though they did receive Commissions and promise to bee faithful yet the end I believe was still premised by them as to be servants to them for the foresaid end The Good Old Cause 1. Freed as men from oppression 2. As Christians from being imposed upon either by antient Laws or Laws which hereafter might be made which hindered the aforesaid Cause and end of all the travel expence and suffering in the Nation which they would never have done Therefore the Army in putting a stop to that which did retard and draw back from that end aforesaid in Gods sight and in the fight of all illuminated men is no Rebellion nor Treachery 9. And as for the Long Parlament by whom God did good things and great things in the overthrowing that power which was deviated from the aforesaid end to wit the late King yet the Axe must not boast it self against him that hewed onely with it for a time to accomplish his end and when he pleases take up another instrument and let the first lie still What they did they had the approbation of God and good men yet they went not through with the work purposed and intended And though they were called together in a time of straits when that which had obstructed through flattery and ambition was taken away yet still you who were the Members of the Old Parlament remaining were called together for to help to accomplish the aforesaid end and to carry on the Good Old Cause but truly you sticked in the mire and did not run chearfully but had your ears open to them that could complement and flatter and their business you would hear and return them thanks but them who had been your dearest friends in your former straits coming in all love and humility and represented their sad suffe●●ng unto you of their long imprisonment and how ●bove twenty dear pretious men suffered till death in prison for that grand oppression of Tythes could not bee heard And again when a representation came unto you from many thousands who were faithfull men to the Common-wealth and had alwaies been it was laid by as waste paper or as a thing of no validity and worth when others received thanks from you in words and a seeming approbation of things of fa● less importance Furthermore certain who had been Officers in the Army in the Nation and in Ireland this fourteen or fifteen 〈◊〉 came to you to present the sufferings and grievan●es of that Nation unto you and in seven or eight weeks ●●me would neither hear nor regard their suit unto you neither take notice of it neither return an Answer but when a company of greedy hireling Priests came from Leicestersh●re to sound their Trumpet in the House and to tell you they had not engaged with the rest of their Brethren in Cheshi●e and ●a●cashir● with George Booth they were immediately called in and thanks returned as though they had done some great service for the Nation that they joined not in the Rebellion but them who were your real friends called Quakers who gave you and the Army intelligence about the late Insurrection in Cheshire who were spoiled by the said Rebells of their Goods and Horses especially to a great value and could never receive any satisfaction or incouragement from you And above all things this evil you did When diverse representations of the sad sufferings of the people of this Nation from diverse parts thereof not onely from one sort of people but all except one v●z the Presbyterians ●●stead of taking off the heavie yoke