Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	christian_a	king_n	time_n	1,755	5	3.4673	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26679	Allegiance vindicated, or, The takers of the new oath of allegiance to K. William & Q. Mary justified and the lawfulness of taking it asserted, in its consistency with our former oaths, and also with the doctrine of the Reformed Church of England, concerning non-resistance & passive obedience / by a Divine of the Church of England.	A. B.	1690 (1690)	Wing A957; ESTC R23002	31,180	38

Providence had actually at any time placed on the Throne though his Title were none of the best At least they made it not a Concern of theirs whether it were so good as it should be And indeed to draw to an end of this Discourse what should a Christian do in dubious Circumstances but determine his Actual Allegiance by the Issues of Divine Providence For does the great Governour of the World take it for his sole Prerogative to rule in the Kingdom of Men and give it to whomsoever he will to change times and Seasons to remove Kings and set up Kings in the places of those he removes as in Daniel he affirms and shall we Worms say to him what dost thou Or is it requisite that he should be obliged to comply with our various Opinions in making such Changes or to tye himself to such limited Methods in the ways of bringing them about as best suit our Models or supposed legal Constitutions Where were then this his Super-Sovereign Prerogative if so submitted for its Regulation to this or that Party of Christians and not to be put in Execution but where and when they please But you will say Is Christianity then so flexible a Religion as to be able to accommodate it self to all Turns and Changes This looks like a safe Principle taken up rather from the Writings and Practices of some worldly Politicians then from the inflexible Rules of Divine Verity It were indeed so if Christianity had given us any such inflexible Rule in such Matters or seeing it hath not as before you are told taught us to change Designs and Interests and Parties as oft as we see God by his Providence making way for the change of Persons and in order thereto as Politicians do to forecast by Humane Conjectures which is likely to be the strongest side and then without respect to Honour Honesty or Conscience to accommodate our Sails before-hand to every Wind which our Political Almanack tells us is likely to blow that we may by our forward appearing merit the more from those whom we oblige by our assistance in their Settlement That Compliance therefore which I plead for as Christian is not of that Nature It suffers Gods Providence first to determine and then follows it it is not forward in making or assisting Changes but only submits to them or rather to God in them when made to its hand Nor is it hasty to strike in with the first like those that strove to get in before others to the Pool of Bethesda when those changes are made as if it feared to lose the Opportunity of a Market for its advantage but allows it self convenient time for due Consideration wherein and to what Degree the present Circumstances may be complied with in consistence with the just Measures of Religion the Rules of Decency and the Security of a good Conscience towards God and towards Man And then so far as it may with safety to all these and not a jot farther accommodates it self to the present State of Affairs quietly acquiescing in the Events wherein God declares his Providential Will though never so much against the Grain of a Man 's own Inclinations or Interests There is indeed a superior Degree of Non-resistance and Passive Obedience due to the Almighty beyond all that can be challenged by any Mortal from us and we must sit down under the shadow which he hath spread over us for our Protection with great care that no Discontent at personal Losses or Disappointments or any other unquiet Passion hurry us into any Designs or Actions which may involve us in the Guilt of fighting against God by striving to build up again what he hath pulled down or to pull down what he hath built And in this case when God providentially rejects a Saul though personal Affection and the Hand he himself formerly had under God in raising him to the Throne and supporting him in it may excuse an Holy Samuel in the condoling Resentment he shewed at the Change and the compassionate Mourning which he inwardly put on for the unhappy Prince Yet even He must thenceforth look upon himself as discharged from any farther at least publick owning his Inclinations towards him And it is evident he did so For otherwise so great a Courtier as Samuel had been through all Saul's former Reign could hardly have dispensed with himself for the seeming Incivility of not so much as giving him one Visit from the Time when he received the notice of his Rejection from God and by his command delivered the unwelcome Tidings thereof to him till the day of his death And even that Humane Resentment which for a season is excusable in such a case yet must be managed with great Moderation and not lodge too long in his Bosom For God himself takes him off from it at last when he saw it excessive with a Reprimand How long saith he wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him Now if the bare antecedent notice from God to his Prophet that he had sententially rejected Saul from the Kingdom whilst yet he continued in the Land and actually exercised his Regality still and for some years after might lawfully so far lessen the Obligation of Samuel's Allegiance as to warrant his absenting himself so long from Court which very withdrawing of his could not in so eminent and conspicuous a Person as he was but argue a great Dislike and therefore in the Judgment of the common People have a very ill Aspect upon the Kings Affairs it is not difficult to imagine how much farther he might have concluded himself discharged from it in case Saul had upon his Denunciation of his Rejection from God and the change in the Countenances and suspicious carriage of the chief of the People plainly intimated 1 Sam. 15. 30. actually withdrawn himself out of his Kingdom and from his native Subjects of Israel retired to Nations in Enmity with them especially if he had applied himself to the Egyptians their old Masters and to the Philistines their most spightful Borderers and therefore the most dreaded Adversaries they had and moreover sollicited their Assistance to restore and resettle him in his Dominions by Conquest I am not ignorant that some Learned Men and among the rest Peter Martyr particularly in this Case of Saul conjecture that Samuel went somewhat farther yet in shewing his Duty to the rejected King during this his retirement from Court by his continuing to pray for him still This is begged I must needs say with the leave of those learned Authors for it cannot be proved But however if granted we must suppose it only done where he mourned for him that is in private And for the matter of his Prayers it could not be That God would restore him absolutely but only conditionally upon his Repentance and so as no considerable damage might accrew to Gods Church and People thereby And in such secret Devotions and so cautioned there is none who will