Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	great_a	king_n	parliament_n	3,205	5	6.3516	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44655	A letter to Mr. Samuel Johnson occasioned by a scurrilous pamphlet, intituled, Animadversions on Mr. Johnson's Answer to Jovian in three letters to a country-friend : at the end of which is reprinted the preface before the History of Edward and Richard the Second, to the end every thing may appear clearly to the reader, how little of that preface has been answered / both written by the Honourable Sir Robert Howard.	Howard, Robert, Sir, 1626-1698.	1692 (1692)	Wing H3000; ESTC R4333	26,604	76

misguiding Meteor of Arbitrary Power I also considered the Proceedings of the Government in the latter part of King Charles the Second's Reign and the short Reign of King James the Second and perceived how exactly they followed the steps of these two unfortunate Kings and I then expected to see a Revolution resembling theirs When King Charles had prepared things ready for Popery and Slavery he seemed no longer useful to those that eagerly waited to assume that Power that the Papists had guided him to make ready for them and as his Actions were like those misguided Princes I believe his Death as much resembled theirs and was equally as violent There was not a particular Action of any note of these two late Kings that did not seem copied from those two unfortunate Princes the Interest of England prostrated to that of France the murdering of great and considerable Men the violent seizing the Rights and Liberties of the City of London the Quo Warranto's on Corporations consequently on the Nation Laws prostrated to the King's Will Westminster-Hall fitted with proper Judges for that Design And as in King Richard the Second's time by resolving the Queries of the Earl of Suffolk the Judges made the King the sole Judg not only of Law but whether there should be any Law or no and the Offence against his Will became the only Treason so the apt Judges of the King's-Bench in the Case of Sir Edward Hales resolved the same though in another manner but in a more seeming abstruse way as if they endeavoured to shew Modesty in Nonsense First they declar'd the Laws were the King's Laws and in case of Necessity the King was to judg of those Laws and then that the King was Judg of the Necessity And lastly as my Lord Coke says to bring the worst Oppression upon us which is done by the colour of Justice they did not only attempt to corrupt the Law by poison'd Judges but by packing Parliaments endeavour'd to confirm the begun Slavery by Statute-Law There was only one sort of Mischief and the greatest that those two unfortunate Princes had no occasion to be equal in with our two late Kings especially King James for they being then of the same Religion with the People could not endeavour the subverting of it so that K. James had a peculiar Tyranny to exceed them in This threatning Storm upon the Souls of Men was providently foreseen by the Parliaments of Westminster and Oxford who therefore press'd the Point by a Bill of Exclusion to secure themselves against a Popish Successor I was a Member of both those Parliaments wherein the Debates seem'd to me very clear and almost unanimous and they were too well justified by the Popish Successor when he came to the Crown for he made good the Foundation of their Opinions and Apprehensions that such a one could never defend a Faith that was contrary to his or be a Father to those he believ'd no Sons of God as if it were possible that his Concern should be for their Liberties that his Opinion had delivered up to eternal Slavery The truth of this appearing by his Actions has by this time I hope bred a repenting Consideration in such as strenuously supported that which was so near bringing a Ruin on us all and had not this King brought us such a timely Redemption we had practised Passive Obedience against our Wills and in our Souls and Bodies felt the Misery of that Doctrine the Encouragement of Destruction But yet we see a History of this Doctrine of Passive Obedience new put forth which is no better than an Arraigning this present Government and all those that contributed to this happy Change which shews as if there were some that would rather see the violent Destruction of their own Religion than disturb the quiet Settlement of Popery as if it were more Religious to suffer God not to be worshipp'd than to pull down an Idol set up by a King as if we were to believe he had a divine Right to consecrate Idolatry but I leave that zealous History under the Execution it has receiv'd from the Excellent Mr. Johnson in his short Reflections upon it which can receive no greater a Character than to be like himself and his other Writings both which were victorious in the midst of all his barbarous Persecutions And as the Nation receiv'd the benefit of his Writings and Example I doubt not but he will share a Reward proportionably to the Assistance he gave to their Redemption It will not be improper therefore to consider the Cases of those two Princes Edward and Richard the Second who were deposed by the People in their Representatives presuming they had a Right to re-assume that Power which was derived from them when any Prince forfeited the Trust they had placed in him and acted contrary to his Executive Office and they expresly declared to King Edward the Second that if he did not freely consent to a Resignation they would not elect his Son Edward but such a one as might be proper for the Good of the People tho no Relation to his Blood and the King returned his Thanks That since they had taken such a Displeasure against him that they would yet be so kind to his Son Nor has this Electing of Kings been so unusual in England since seldom any Government has had more broken Successions But before I proceed to shew how this Right was and continues in the People I will take leave briefly to shew what a Prince is according to their Doctrines that have with an unlimited Zeal asserted Passive Obedience and the Laws to be only the Properties of a King 's Arbitrary Will I remember when Julian the Apostate came out many of the Clergy seem'd very much disturbed and as I was informed there was a Club that assisted the Answer to it called Jovian I mention this that when from thence I set down the Positions of that Doctrine of Passive Obedience they may be look'd upon as the sharpest Arrows they could draw from all their Quivers and then if any Weakness or Contradictions appear in them methinks the War should be at an end when the Joint Forces under a chosen Hector are defeated and the Rout and Disorder comes from their own Opinions that fall foul upon one another In many Places of Jovian an unlimited Passive Obedience is prescrib'd as a general Remedy in all Publick Diseases that is Destruction is the best Recipe against Destruction and the Disease is to become the Cure But the Author having heard of such a thing as Laws and not knowing how to put them out of the way to make room for this Doctrine which makes a Destroyer lawful he finds out a Diamond to cut a Diamond and a Law never heard of to destroy the known Laws in these sublime Words The Political Laws are made to defend the Rights of the Subject but in case the Soveraign will Tyrannically take away a Subject's Life

us'd those Passages of his But I will state the matter fairly and then his meaning runs thus I know not how these Arguments against Non-Resistance and Passive Obedience can make for their Majesties Service and the Honour of the Reformation it 's possible the noble Author doth I readily answer him That I think I do and shall endeavour to demonstrate it But first give me leave to be a little surpriz'd that Dr. Hicks or his Friend who 't is likely are the same in Principle if not in Person should be concerned for their Majesti● Service or the Safety and Honour of a G●vernment which Dr. Hicks R●no●●ces and tho it seems he could not with a safe Conscience officiate in his Calling under an Unlawful Power made so by virtue of the Doctrine of Passi●e Obedience yet he says he understands not how the opposition to this Doctrine can be for the Service of the Government This is a strange Riddle that the Doctrine of Passive Obedience made Dr. Hicks against the Government and yet he understands not how the Opposition of that Doctrine can be for the Service of it But leaving these Contradictions I will endeavour to shew him I do understand upon what Foundation this Government and the Safety and Honour of it stands Perhaps he hopes it cannot be made out and then it would be great rejoicing for Men of those enslaving Principles to see that though we were freed from Popery and Slavery which that Betraying Doctrine prepared for us yet were still in the Condition of Slaves by the Power of Conquest This has been boldly asserted by some Pens but I leave it to you Sir to give this Opinion its due Correction as you have promised in two of the Observators And I doubt not but all true Englishmen will fully perceive this horrible Attempt against their Honour and Freedom to see Endeavours used to turn that into Slavery that was the Means to free us from it I shall now proceed to shew what I promised and shall readily confess that I do not think the Principles I assert are for the Safety of one of Dr. Hicks's complicated Tyrants but they may be for a good Prince that opposes Tyranny 'T was against these Principles that the Nation implor'd and obtain'd Relief and according to their Original Right fix'd the Crown on their Reliever's Head In the Prince of Orange's Declaration 't is declared The King cannot suspend the Execution of Laws unless it is pretended that he is clothed with a Despotick and Arbitrary Power and that the Lives Liberties Honours and Estates of the Subjects depend wholly on his good Will and Pleasure And towards the end expresly declares That his Design was to prevent all those Miseries which must needs follow upon the Nation 's being kept under Arbitrary Government and Slavery and that all the Violences and Disorders which have overturned the whole Constitution of the English Government may be fully redress'd in a Free and Legal Parliament His additional Declaration is only to shew how clear he was in these Principles by taking occasion from some Reports spread about that he intended to conquer and enslave the Nation He there declares again the Design of his Undertaking was to procure a Settlement of the Religion and the Liberties and Properties of the Subjects upon so sure a Foundation that there might be no danger of the Nation 's relapsing into former Miseries and that the Forces he brought with him were utterly disproportioned to that wicked Design of conquering the Nation if he were capable of intending it Adding a little after That it was not to be imagined that those that invited him or those that were already come in to assist him would join in a wicked Design of Conquest to make void their own lawful Titles to their Honours Estates and Interests Thus contrary to the Doctrine of Passive Obedience the Foundation was laid for the Honour and Safety of the Government upon a Free Parliament which is the People there represented Accordingly when by the unanimous Assistance and Consent of the Nation the Prince of Orange came to London a Convention was called which assembled Jan. 22. 1688 9. After many Debates in both Houses about the Abdication of the Government and the Vacancy of the Throne the Houses on the 12th of February fully agreed to a Declaration in which having enumerated the Particulars whereby King James did endeavour to subvert and extirpate the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom whereby he had abdicated the Government the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons being now assembled in a full and free Representative of this Nation do in the first place as their Ancestors in like case have usually done for the vindicating and asserting their ancient Rights and Liberties Declare c. And then proceed to enumerate the Particulars in which they are comprehended which they claim and demand as their undoubted Rights and Liberties To which Demand of their Rights they say they are particularly encouraged by the Declaration of his Highness the Prince of Orange Having therefore an entire Confidence that his said Highness the Prince of Orange will perfect the Deliverance so far advanc'd by him c. The Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled at Westminster do resolve That William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange be and be declared King and Queen of England France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging On the 15th of February his Majesty spoke thus to both Houses My Lords and Gentlemen This is certainly the greatest Proof of the Trust you have in Us that can be given which is the thing that maketh Us value it the more And we thankfully accept what you have offered And as I had no other Intention in coming hither than to preserve your Religion Laws and Liberties so you may be sure that I shall endeavour to support them and shall be willing to concur in any thing that shall be for the Good of the Kingdom and to do all that is in my power to advance the Welfare and Glory of the Nation And in his Answer the fifth of March 1688 9 to the Address of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled in Parliament he uses these Expressions I came hither for the Good of the Kingdom and 't is at your Desire that I am in this Station I shall pursue the same Ends that brought me I hope by this Account I have shewed my nameless Adversary that the Safety and Honour of this Government was procur'd and founded against his Principles of Passive Obedience which had they been as sacredly observ'd as he would have them our Redemption had never been effected and perhaps he had been better pleased However he pretends to be concerned for the Honour and Safety of a Government which is founded and settled contrary to his Imperial Principles upon that sure and happy Consent that the Laws Liberties and Properties of the Nation were