Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	city_n	government_n	representative_a	751	4	16.1177	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49349	The loyall convenanter, or, Peace & truth revived being certaine seasonable considerations presented to the whole kingdome in generall, but more particularly intended for that famous and honourable city of London, and therein in a more peculiar manner all those citizens, as also all other persons whereoever, who have taken the Solemn league and covenant.	Rexophilus Londinatus Christianus Protestans.	1648 (1648)	Wing L3344; ESTC R25487	49,454	81

Presbytery considered as is administred by preaching and Lay Elders joyntly with equal voice and power in the several Judicatorics of their Parochial Sessions of their Classical or greater Consistories of their P. ovincial Synods and National Assemblies Page 3. Now by this if I mistake not you may perceive that they both agree in ipso regimine Ecclesiastico in the Government it self considered as itteferreth to the Church that is all Members therein that are to be governed though not in the manner number or qualification of the persons governing both parties confessing that the power of Ordination and of Judicature so far forth as the keys left by Christ in his Church do extend is of Divine Institution and that this power must be excecised or administred in his Church by some so that I say the difference is whether the exercise or ministration of that power be restrained to certain choice men or indifferently left to all Presbyters and their assisting Lay Elders For none will accuse themselves guilty of so much ignorance and folly as to affirm that the decent Ceremonies and innocent Vestments of the Church as Cross in Baptism Surpless Cope the like were practised imposed as essential and inseparably necessary adjuncts to the Government it self All which rather then contention for them should have extended to blood might nay would have been by the condescention of His Majesty quietly layd aside needing not the peremptormeis of the sword to silence them I. Under episcopal there is in every Parish a preaching Minister with Churchwardens and in some Deacons or Curates by these offenders are noted and admonished and the offences presented to the Ecclesiastical Courts or Consistories where they may be heard and censured the Minister having power in some cases of notorious scandal to restrain from the Communion untill the offence may be heard and judged in the Court and the party so offending by the censure of the Church brought to give publike satisfiction II. Under Episcopal in every diocess there are several divisions the lesser and the greater these being called Deanties there is Arch-Deconries in those the Arch-Presbyters in these the Arch-Deacons have power to call the Parochial Ministers together to enquire of doctrine and manners and see to the red ressing of smaller abuses In the Mother City is the Bishop residing with his Presbyters having the power of Ordination of judging and determining of all matter of doctrine or seandal reserevd to his hearing by his Arch-Deacons and of rejudging what was judged amiss by them This he doth either in his Consistory which he holdeth in his City assisted by his Presbyters or in his Vsitiations going through his diocess and causing his Clergy personally to appear or in his diocesan Synod which is made up of the City Presbyters Dean and Chapter the Arch-Deacons and other choice Presbyters under the presidency of the Bishop III. Under Episcopal Government are held Provincial Synods consisting of all the Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons and of certain choice Presbyters from every diocess within the Province these have power to order all matters concerning the whole Province to hear appeals from every Diocess to re-judg what is done amis that could not be well determined in a Di●cesan Synod IIII. Under Episcopal Government are also held National Councels consisting of the like Members as do the Provincial these are of greatest authority they examine and judg any thing done amiss any in Province they consider and determine matters of Doctrine and Discipline inorder to the whole Nationall Church Under the Presbyterian Government there is in every Parish a Minister with a competent number of Lay Elders and Deacons according to the largeness of the Parish These make the Parochial Session and have power to censure scandalous livers contentious persons and the like to enjoyn publke penance and impose upon the penitent before he be received into the Church a fine to be imployed on pious uses Under the Presbyterian in every County there are also several divisions or Classes containing such a number of Parochiall Ministers who have their set meetings for conference and in the City or more eminent Town is the great Presbyterian Consistory commonly called the Presbytery made up of all the Parochiall Ministers within its precincts and of Lay Elders from each Parish one in this is the power of Ordination of censuring crimes of the higher strain with the greater Excommunication of hearing appeals from the Parochial Sessions and rejudging what was there judged amiss Under the Presbyterian also are held Provincial Synods made up of Commissioners that is certain preaching and Lay Elders from every Individual Presbytery or Presbyterian Consistory within the Province These judg and determine matters pertaining to the whole Province Also all difficult cases that could not well be determined within the Presbytery they receive appeals also from the Presbyyters and examine what was there thought to be done amiss Under the Presbyterian likewise are held National Assemblies consisting of Commissioners from all the Presbyteries in the Kingdom each of them sending two preaching and one Lay Eider also from every Burrough one and he a Lay man and from every University one and for the most part a Ley man too In these is the supream and finall determination of all complaints and controversies and unto the decrees that issue thence all must obey under pain of Excommunication Now these premises impartially considered which of these two Governments have the more effectual means to procure the end of Church Government the preservation of truth and peace the suppression of Heresie and Schism let any rational unbyass'd-minded man judg For my part I ingenuously confess that it is contrary to common reason in my upprehension that Lay-men from whose education no knowledg extraordinary beyond their trades and such like affairs can be expected although it is true that many are furnished with knowing parts yet as true that the most in a Nation are altogether defective therein can be as ficinstruments for such kind of imployments as grave and learned Divines whose only business it is to tread the path of all arts both humane and divine so that if this continue in England what I once read alledged against the Papal Consistory that they did potius numer are suffragia quam argumenta pond●rare number rather their Votes then weigh the solidity of their Arguments will I fear be our deserved censure From which justly meriting accusation Good Lord deliver this Nation Again consider further Bishops assume not the exercise of any power within any Princes Dominions or use it over his subjects but by permission and authority from him and that according to just Laws and Rules made by soveraign Authority for the manner of external Ministration thereof so that when the Episcopal power cometh to the holding of Courts and calling Assemblies it wholy depends on the soveraign power 25 Hen. 8.19 without whose Assent signified by his writ they cannot assemble for

THE LOYALL COVENANTER OR Peace Truth revived BEING Certaine seasonable Considerations presented to the whole Kingdome in generall But more particularly intended for that Famous and Honourable City of London and therein in a more peculiar manner all those Citizens As also All other Persons wheresoever who have taken the Solemn LEAGUE and COVENANT Printed in the Yeare 1648. To all true-hearted Englishmen of what degree or qualitie soever especially to each particular Citizen of London Courteous and friendly Reader FOr so my believing charitie perswadeth me to style you although my mean and inconsiderable deserts cannot hope to lay claim to the title As it is a certaine truth for our comfort that man's passive extremitie is Gods active opportunitie deliverance then stepping in when in our apprehensions were are past hopes of being delivered so it is as necessary a truth to be practised that when Kingdomes Cities Families or friends are most passive under the extremitie of accumulative miseries threatning ruine and desolation then to be most active in our assistance● counsell and to our power deliverance Such like thoughts as these possessing me in these unhappiest of unhappy times wherein a generally-feared destruction hangeth over our heads like a sharp pointed sword only by a small thread perswaded me with the poore widow my abilities not being able to bestow more to cast in this my following mite and if it shall though in it selfe worthlesse prove by the concurring operation of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of men in the least manner instrumentally contributary to the reformation of some information of others and a desired restoration of the whole Kingdome in generall the City of London in particular where I received my first birth and being to their ancient honour and former truth and peace return your thankes to the Lord of heaven and earth the fountaine of all Meroies and pray for the Eternall happinesse of Your reall friend Country-man and fellow Citizen Rexophilus Londinatus Christianus Protestans Maii prim 1648. Ne inutilis olim vixisse videar 25 Proverbs 11. A word spoken in season is like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver 122 Psalme 8. For my brethren and companions sakes will I now say peace bee within thy walls WHen the Hebrew-tongued bells sadly invite the Charitable assistance of others to a pacification of that rebellious Element Fire Hebrew Letters must bee read backward A Custome in England to ring bels backward when houses are on fire destructively active beyond its legall bounds and a reduction of it to its proper center and due obedience who will not unlesse some whose preventing care is little about their own and carefull pitty lesse imployed about others ruines willingly contribute their quenching paines Nay who except others as miserably destitute of honesty as wealth whose strangely malicious mindes repine at the fruitfull industry smiling prosperity of others and whose irregular expectations hope to supply the defect of their own wealth and boy up their almost irrecoverably sunk estates by a generally concurring destruction will not subscribe to a voluntary demolition of their proper and more peculiar buildings only to anticipate the devastation of others by that mercilesse raging tyrant When the angry windes begin to vent their spleen and the passive surges which not long before were united into one only unsurrowed face like slaves forced to a degeneration are compelled by those powerfully Commanding Masters into high swelling frowns and deep-furrowed wrinkles thereby menacing ruine to all floating travellers in that uncertain watery region Will not then all obliged and resolved guides Vela moderantes p●r aequoris undas unlesse some who with too much ease can change ingagements of publike preservation into permissive i● not active resolutions of desolation or others whose winding limbs embarqued on gainfull private hopes or aguish losing feats can comply with every rouling wave thereby in vain expecting in a Fly-boat of neutralitie to swim safely to a self-securing shore will not all except such consult a prevention of such a universally-threaten'd destruction My dearest Country-men England hoc momento temporis O that Fame could give my Pen the lye ●●ut alas alas experience already hath and still doth afford us too too certain grounds evidencing its truth is at this very day become a sad paralell of these preceding lines England not long since famous abroad happy at home even beyond si foelicitatem novorit desire of additionall happinesse for its united domestick structures I mean its Monarchicall government compacted into so sweetly agreeing * King Lords and Commons in Parliament disproportion●d proportion that setting aside those Concomitantes Regnorum devastatores those destroyers of men and Kingdomes Ambition Envy and Sedition which blind the judgements sight enforcing it to a partiall if not an envious construction of the best things the most prying eye could not discern the * Poorest men humblest stone remedilesly press'd by an oppressing * Rich persons Superiour or highest advanced pinacle proudly scorning inferiour subjected materialls without a check from the master builder I mean the established law whose enlivener fonsquerigo is our Soveraigne Lord King Charles c. Sine quo nulla nova fuit est Angliâ lexque erit This England quis non talia scribendo lachrymarum flumina mittet Jeremiah 9. chap. 1. v. who can forbeare wishing with the Prophet That his head were full of water and his eyes a fountain of tears to weep for his Native Country by the beginning Sparcks of an unfortunate Northern fire-brand strange it is that so cold and almost benumming a climate should yield such nimbly-devouring fire intermixing in its consuming progresse with unnaturally connaturalizing materialls by degrees grown almost into one entire flame This winged Vessell truly styled Europ's Soveraigne whose swelling sayles not long since were filled even to envy and admiration of all round about her by long continuing uninterrupted succesfull gales At last by the enforcement of rigid necessitie justly steering its powerfully commanding course for its command proceeded from a * Commission from his Majestie Just power neere the * Scotland ☽ alidonian waters met with some surly opposing gusts high-working ambitious and rebellious waves which not wanting a concurring assistance and incouragement from other mutinous spirits strange it is that children of the same wombe should rend the very bowels of their naturall parent upon the unreasonable invitation of aliens accompanying the same Fleet with this Royall Pilot denyed to strike sayle or expresse obedience to his lawfull commands Which strange and unnaturall opposition increasing like snow roul'd from place to place even to a monstrous heap by the senslesly assisting and furiously active hands of such persons was soon howsoever dissolved by the favourable breath and gracious condescentions beyond expectation of the Royall Cōmander himself as it seemed having a brest more affected with the losse of any under his command however in their obedience repugnant although I cannot

propounded Therefore by the way first let me request all such whose thoughts cannot but speak themselves intereshed in these lines to lay aside all prejudicate opinions both of my self and others hitherto practically different from them prejudice being like a partition-wall which will binder the judgements yeelding to what is proposed and really made good to be Reason Religion and Law Secondly that they would banish from their brests that Rebel to Religion and Reason a too confident tenaciousnesse of their own opinions not because in their appearance they still continue undoubted truths to their approving judgements but because the past insinuating Declarations of some cunning Polititians and rhetoricall Jesuitized perswafions of others have consonant to their particular erronious maximes and pre-resolved upon designes urged them to a former practice of unjust and unlawfull actions Thirdly therefore that they would cast away that desperately ruining resolution of potius malè currendo crimina criminibus addere quam errorem confireri recurrendo veritatemque veritutis ●●●sa propugnare being rather willing to continue slaves to the commission of additionall sins then by repentance become triumphing Champions for the sincerity of truth when as it is far greater and better policy humane and divine by repentance to return into the way of truth then by a continuing progresse in erronioue paths to expose themselves to a possible ruine here and destrustion hereaster Bosides the whole outrent of the Scriptures every where speaketh merey and pardon to the penitent an argument in my judgement sufficient to induce all there unto against contrary suggestions of the world and the Depil● nay Ezek. 18.21 to the end the very end of Christs Dirth Death Resurrection and Asoention onely proclaim an invitation of sinners to iome unto him promising them pardon and saivation Now therefore if that any one in this respect shall turn away his ear neglecting to hearken to the Charmer charm he never so well let them take heed that that place of Beelpture Zech. 1.4 5 6. prove not an evidence against their obstindey and the complaint and threats of our Saviour in Mat. 23.37 38. concern not them O Hierusalem Hierusalem which hast killed the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thee together as a hen gathereth her chickens and you would nor Behold therefore your habitation shall be left defelate From which heavy judgement O them preserver of men keep and defend us all But I proceed to lay down my first fundamentall positions in respect of a Government already established That all violent and irregular alteration of Government contracy to the fundamentall customes and constitutions of every respective Nation First if it receive its original from the supream Magistrate and prossed upon the people hath alwayes been branded with the names of tyranny and oppession nor have such sms although the Word of God permit not Subjects by armes to rebel against him passed impunished oftentimes here in this world however without repentance cannot escape in the world to come Secondly if violently streamfing from the seditions compulsive dombination of the people without and against the supream Magistrates consent hath ever been stigmatived with those odious titles of Rebellion and Treason whose just rewards are death here wich a successive never dying infamy and unlesse the mercy of Heaven inter pose the eternity of death hereafter Therefore for the avoyding of Tyranny and Oppression on the one side preventing of Treason and Rebellion on the other with all those bloody issues and ruinous effects flowing from thence tanquam a fonte sanguinolento and confequently those punishments which tanquam uncle sequuntur undas tread on the very heels of such offences It must necessarily be granted an undeniable truth that obedience indispensable is due from every Subject of what degree soever according to the qualification of the persons unto all Lawes not opposite to the Law Word of God made confirmed by the supream power of any Nation and that these Lawes according to reason ought and must remain in full force and vertue untill the same lawfull power which first gave them the power of a commanding law shall repeal and nullifie them That all Christian Subjects do or should yeeld obedience to Kings personall and the Law his vertuall commands if not derogatory to the Law of God not onely because the King quatenus Rex or the Law quatenus Lex tantiem commandeth the same but because in his Word he hath laid a precept upon us both in the fourth Commandement and in Rom. 13.1 2 3. where he enjoyneth every soul to be subject to the higher Powers c. and 1 Pet. 2.14 15 17. where he commandeth us by his Apostle to submit our selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be unto the King as unto the supream c. so that if we deny active obedience to his legall commands we deny it not to the King and oppose the Law therein alone but to God himself pen quem Reges regnant Prov. 9.15 16 acting contrary to his will revealed in his Word and the practice of Christ himself who gave Caesar hi● due But because peradventure a demonstration of my own judgement about passive obedience active to Kings having already been discussed of may be expected therefore that I might not leave my self to the uncertain interpretation of any I professe my self an English Protestant and therefore in the truest sense shall not refuse the stile of an English Catholike disavowing all hereticall idolatrous and superstitious Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome and all other Opinions different from and contradictory unto the Doctrine of the Church of England established in the thirty nine Articles not because it is established onely but because it is consonant and agreeable to the Word of God the truth whereof hath been is and hereafter will be made good against all hereticall and schismaticall Opponents whomsoever In particular reference to a lawfull King and the continuance of his government in peace and piety I detest and protest against all Jesuiticall distinctions Vide King James premonition to christian Princes and his Apology for the Oath of Alleagiance pag. 50 51 108 109. alibique destructive tenents to all Religion and Government of power reserved in Pope or people of what degree or number soever whether they be a body representative conjunctim if a body can properly be termed a body without an head or any particular members divisim under any pretence or intention whatsoever by force to dispose of and change the Lawes of a Kingdom depose Kings divest them of their lawful power dispense with Oaths by which their Subjects stand as well religiously as naturally obliged refist their lawfull commands by the sword perswading Subjects to follow their example I acknowledge according to the truth of the Word of God 2 Thes 1.4 Match 26.51 Match 9.54 55 56. Mat. 16.23