Selected quad for the lemma: land_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
land_n	fall_v	great_a	lord_n	1,398	5	3.5077	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53971	A sermon preacht on January 30th, 1683 in Westminster-Abby before the reverend and honourable, the Kings judges, and printed at their request by Edw. Pelling ...	Pelling, Edward, d. 1718.	1684 (1684)	Wing P1096; ESTC R23221	19,302	48

them to the most exquisite Torments saith Cornelius Tacitus For he Crucified some and others he Burned And as before he set Fire on Rome that he might please himself with the Resemblance of the Burning of Troy so after that he burnt Christians in huge Heaps and Piles that the light of the Fires might direct Passengers in dark Nights saith the Historian and not content with all this Cruelty many Christians he drest up in the Skins of Wild Beasts that they might be Torn in pieces by Dogs as the same Tacitus Relates further It was in the Reign of this Monster of Men that St. Paul liv'd by this Token that he caused that Apostle himself to be Beheaded and it was in the 2d Year of Nero as 't is probably conjectur'd by Baronius out of Origen that St. Paul wrote this Epistle to the Christians in and about the Imperial City And though St. Paul knew enough of the Man already and the Spirit of God foresaw a great deal more yet you see what was written touching Subjection even to him who was a shame to all Princes even this Let every Soul be subject to the Highest Powers for there is no Power but of God The Powers that be are Ordained of God Whosoever therefore Resisteth the Power Resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that Resist shall receive to themselves Damnation Against this that hath been spoken there is one popular objection which I must take notice of and it is this That where a Kingdom hath adopted the True Religion so that it is Establisht by publick Authority as God be Blessed it is in this Kingdom and the Laws of the Country are on its side there Resistance is not unlawful if a Prince doth indeavour the Destruction or Alteration of the True Faith In answer hereunto these things in short are to be considered 1. First that the true Religion was Establisht in the Jewish State by the Municipal Laws of that Nation and that by the Authority of God himself and yet though several Kings did attempt the introduction of Idolatry nay did actually introduce it the Jews Resisted not nevertheless and if they had Resisted such Resistance had been sinful notwithstanding 2. It is very hard and unjust that Princes Favours should be made use of against themselves that their Prerogatives should be prejudiced for their having received the Faith and for the Kindnesses they have shewed to the Church of Christ Because Constantine was a Zealous Protector of the true Religion it would have been highly Unreasonable should this have redounded to the Violation of the Imperial Dignity of his Son Constantius The Primitive Christians had the Laws of Constantine on their side And yet they did not think Resistance Lawful though the Son was an Enemy to that Faith of which the Father was the Defender 3. No Laws ought to be pleaded beyond their plain Design and Meaning Now the intent of our Laws is to secure our Religion against Schismaticks and Hereticks but not to Arm Subjects against their Prince For the same Laws which are the Stabiliment of the Church do manifestly and Roundly declare all Resistance to be unlawful and Treasonable and do Agnize the power of the Sword to be in the King and in the King only So that no Law is on our side as to matter of Resistance 4. Should our Laws be so bad as to allow of Resistance in some Cases yet this could be no Bar against the Laws of God which forbid Resistance in all Cases For it is not in the power of men to give us leave to Sin nor can any Humane Authority give us the liberty whether we will obey the Commands of Christ or no. I may not in any wise Hurt my Prince had I his own leave for it because the King of Kings hath commanded me under pain of his high displeasure to do the Contrary 5. Nay I will be bold to say in the last place that supposing Law-givers should be so Impolitick as under pain of Death to require and by a Formed Law to command us to Resist the Soveraign power it ought not in any wise to be done however For it is a standing Rule in Christianity that Authority is not to be obeyed in things that are Unlawful now Resistance is simply and in its own Nature Sinful and all Casuists will tell us that rei illicitae nulla est obligatio an Unlawful Command cannot bind unless it be to Sufferings such a command would be Null and Void of it self the matter of a Law somtimes taking off its Obligation when 't is contrary to the Laws of God and Nature and such would a Law for Resistance be should the Authority of the whole Kingdom consent to it I have done now with the Consideration of my Text and come at length to the day but am at a great loss how or where to begin or in what Language to express my Sense of that Superlative Villany Acted at this time which hath stain'd the Consciences of Rebels with Blood which hath dyed the Faces of all Christians with shame which hath brought upon all English Men a perpetual Reproach which was an astonishment to all Nations a blow to all Thrones a wound to the hearts of all Princes a Contumely to Heaven and such an horrid Affront to the great God that I am afraid whatsoever Judgments and Plagues we have laboured under since or do labour under still have fallen upon our Heads as the Returns of that Cry with which the Sacred Blood of the Lords Anointed his late Majesty went up to Heaven I pray God our Land may be once throughly cleansed from the Guilt of it The Blood of Christ can and nothing but Christs own blood can purge us And I am of the opinion that if the blood of any Prince or Martyr could be so valuable and precious as never to be atoned for in this World it would be that Royal that Sacred that Innocent blood which was so barbarously shed upon the Earth as at this time As often as I cast my thoughts upon the consideration of this most Horrid Fact I cannot but think on those Memorable words of David to the Amalekite upon the death of Saul Part of the whole Story we have in 2 Sam. 1. Saul indeed had killed himself with his own Sword at least had given himself his Deaths-wound This Amalekite took off the Crown from his Head and the Bracelet from his Arm and brought both unto David pretending that he had slain Saul Very probable it is that he hoped for some good reward at Davids Hands which has somtimes been the Traitors Fortune and he was the first I read of that counted King killing a Meritorious Act But instead of reaping his expected Booty he obtain'd not so much as a Para●● but receiv'd his Final and deserved Doom David stood amaz'd and astonisht at the Villany How wast thou not afraid saith he to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lords Anointed 2