Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	law_n	power_n	time_n	3,535	5	3.5329	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25452	Animadversions upon that proclamation of September 13, 1692, entituled, For the better discovery of seditious libellers		1693 (1693)	Wing A3205; ESTC R38496	10,982	4

is by the Close Hidden and Hypocritical Methods of Usurpation Like the turnings and windings of a River which we know not presently whither it ends Or like the glidings and insinuations of a Snake or Serpent which may seem smooth or tickle at first but the end thereof is deadly They commonly go this way to work and srue themselves in ●hen they cannot accomplish it by the other But in the first sort of this great Violence or Robbery They have some specious Reasons to Colour it over Tho' at last they are forced to resort to the French King's Mott● upon his great Guns Rati●Vltima Regum In which thing Another hath exactly imitated and is like unto him for though they seem to be at so great Enmity and Opposition yet they do both agree and concern in the same Violent and Unrighteous Action as appears by that ●nsc●●●●on which as I have heard was on the Cannon that went over for the Reducing of Ireland which was in the ●utch Language to this Signification I have got it and I will maintain it Most opposite Word an● exactly agreeable to such a King who is a King for that Womans Reason because He is so and only because He is in possession of a Kingdom This Proclamation which gives occasion for these Remarks in th● Gazette is put in an opposite Column to that for High-way men and Robbers on purpose as I suppose to make Libellers more odious But I do believe that God the Judge of all men will rather judge themsolves by whose pretended Authority it is Emitted forth to be of this sort sooner than he will pronounce whom they call Libellers to be wicked Offenders For in the mean while they do use the same Methods with High-way men and Robbers for as these Fee Inn Keepers Oslers and Tapsters to hold their peace so do they give forth the Wages of iniquity to the several Balaams among us That whilst themselves have forsaken the R●g●t way and are gone astray they may not be rebuked for their Iniquity The Prophets wake my People Err. That bite with their Teeth and cry Peace and He that putteth not into their Mouth They even prepare War against them Mic 3. Ver. 5. But seeing they are still fed and Bread is put into their Mouths These D●gs are Dumb. Isa 56.10 as others are through fear and sloth whose Bread hath been taken away However rough or harsh this may seem it is the very Parase of the Holy Ghost speaking on this wise not our of Invidiousness or abusiveness of Expression but to set forth the nature of this their Sin of Omission with the aggravation thereof in the sight of God And thus they stop the several Mouths by giving a Livelihood or Preferment which the Receivers consent unto for to get or keep the same And then again exactly after the same Method of High-way men and Robbers where Gifts and fair Means will nor do There they proceed to a Pistol or Sab so do these to Punishment and Severity One may arford to lett good Bargains where he hath Dispossessed the right Owner and be very Liberal of that which is not their own but another Man's But he that will Judas-like do any thing against the Word of God and his Righteousness Though it here covenanted for Twenty or Fifty pieces of Silver watch perhaps the Informer may be yet baulked of notwit●standing such particular directions are here specified for the certain and speedy Payment thereof may also meet with Judas his Doom It would be good for him if he had never been born It would be better for him if he had never touched or meddled with such Mony which is the reward of Iniquity The Consequence where of will be Persecution and Oppression if it be not the worst kind of direct Murder it self This should make honest People have more care and engage them to a yet greater Faithfulness as to whom ten or a hundred times as muc● would not be a prevailing Temptation to commit the Sins of Treachery and Unfaithfulness Another t●ing may be observed among High-Way men and Robbers That they are commonly very Unanimous and they do but s●ldom fall out for it they should then all the Gang would be in danger to be broken and ruined This same is the very Reason why there hath been such an universal ●onsent Harmony and Agreement among the great Multitude of the Workers of Iniquity There has been no such Clashing in their Parliamentary Consultations nor confronting the Head thereof as in the Reign of former Rightful Kings for indeed if it should be once so This new erected Babel would end Anger to fall or at least it would not go forward as now it doth For a rightful Government like an Oak well and deeprooted doth bear Wind●s and Storms will stand amidst and against the Strivings and Divisions of the People But a Constitution of Man's devising and Wisdom is like a Reed shaken with the Wind which every Puff of contrary breath d●th make to stagger and it many Trees of the Wood should move against it This would soon blow it quite away or at lost it would fall and great would be the Fall thereof As Counterf●it Gold doth often shine and glister more than true so Fiction and Falshood doth more Ape and Imitate what is true and real than perhaps this doth exert it self forth In like manner it is when the Wicked are joyned hand in hand who hall not go unpunished as to the future however t●ey escape now and they have got the Government lodged in them ho it be wrong Yet nevertheless they will keep their hands inure and they will punctually formally and continually practice the several acts of Administration thereof from time to time for as the Life of a Law is in the Execution of it so their ill-gotten Power improperly called Authority because this Word supposes what is lawful which theirs is not is kept up meerly by Use and Exercise thereof As by taking the Royal Title Signet and Arms and by doing the several Regal Acts Interlining their Name into the Publick Est blished Liturgy so that Prayers are said daily for them throughout the Realm Co●ferring imaginary Titles of Honour m●king seeming Laws and a Multiplicity of them whereby is shown forth a secret Consciousness as if they were not altogether so Valid Appointing Judges and the Courts of Judiia●ure go on and are held in their Names And then there must be Imprisonment and Punishment of Offenders yea and Executions for Treason as if they were real Kings For when an Intruder or Usurper steps up He hath his Throne baked and cemented with Blood whereby he doth imagine that he makes it more sure and fast unto himself not so much from the Conglutinating Nature thereof but by the Victory which with his vast Multitude He doth get over the single Opposers So that in all likelihood this Proclamation will be put into a vigorous and constant Execution If they do not get it confirmed into what is called an Act of Parliament at this their next meeting together There was some ●ssay and Endeavour towards this in that their Sessions o Nov. 4. 1692. in a Bill which was going forwards in the Lower-House Entituled For the better Prservation of Their Majesties Pers●ns and Government which same Bill proved Abortive and was rejected or othewise it will be as a nine days wonder and vanish off again as meer Talk and waste Paper But as I once heard Dr. Patrick the now Usurpt Bishop of E●y as he was expounding the Tin Commandments in his then Parish Church at Covent-Garden make a true Observation That when Authority doth once begin to Command unlawful things it doth thereupon grow and become weak and ridiculous This he spake a tittle before the late Revolution when there was a real Auth●r●ty So when that which hath now the Name thereof doth emit such kind of Edicts tho' with their Armed Men and Multitudes and by their diligent Execution thereof for wrong is commonly more busie and active than right They will take care that it shall not hereupon become weaker Yet there will not much heed and obedience be given to it from the Hearts and Conscience of Men because for want of Lawfulness both in the Imposers and also in the Matter it self It hath not much or rather no Obligation at all upon the Heart and Conscience POSTSCRIPT For my pa●t I do n●t Vindicate all the Errors and Vnjust Illegal Act. of the last Reign as it is commonly called and understood Though I do affirm Constantly That all of them put together taking in also the whole and utmost that Malice could inv●nt and Falshood Calumniate will in no wise tantamount to justify a deprivation There is a wide difference be●ween Boasting and Reallity between Self Commendation and the Matter as indeed it is Herein the present Rulers do wisely if they do avoid that Severity which was the miscarriage and overthrow of their immediate Predecessor They do well herein for the Merciful shal obtain Mercy as themselves indeed have much need thereof from the hands of God for their Transgression of so many of his Commandments But he knows not much in the Nature of Things who doth not also understand That for them whose Title is Precarious and meerly beholden to the Love and good Will It is neither Prudent nor Safe for such to ex●rcise Cruelty This being deservedly odious to Mankind as the contrary Virtue of Mercy is loved and of good report As on the one hand It is pity that Godness should be abused and trampled upon Soun the other We are not to be deladed with fair Words and fine Phrases Among the several Writers concerning publi●k Affairs as there hath been subject matter enough it should considered Quo Anim● and out of what principle they do it Whether it be Zell for and Conscience towards God or vain Humour which their own several Books and Words will shew forth and manifest I do in no wise Apologize or make a Defence for every Scribler If any has written indeed fal●ly scurrilously and meer abus●ively against the present Governours the Law is open that such may proceeded ag●inst and also by the Word and judgment of God which requiers to speak evil of no. Man to be no Brawlers if such should suffer they would suffer as evil Doers Finished October 4. 1692