Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	king_n	lord_n	people_n	3,378	5	4.9550	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47772	The blessing of Iudah explained, and applied to the present times, in a sermon preached at S. Maries, Oxford, March 27, 1644 : being the anniversary of His Majesties inauguration to his crowne ... : wherein by Henry Leslie ...	Leslie, Henry, 1580-1661.	1644 (1644)	Wing L1161; ESTC R21216	30,794	49

is his tabernacle In Salem that is where Peace is for so the Fathers read it In pace fastus est locus ejus But where division and discord is there God can have no Tabernacle And therefore the Brethren of the Separation in their present Schisme and Rebellion are not lead by the Spirit of God who is love it selfe Galath 5.20 but by the lusts of the flesh ingendring hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings These as they are not Iudahs People so neither are they Gods I have now done with my Text for the time will not permit me to speake of the other two Petitions but the Service of this day and your expectation doe require that I say something by way of application This day was this Scripture fulfilled in your eares Luk. 4.21 for upon this day full nineteene yeares agoe Almightie God brought Iudah unto his people he set our gracious Soveraigne that now is upon the throne of his Father which unto us was no small blessing if we had knowne our owne happinesse For to have a King though he be none of the best is a great blessing unto a Land Moses tells us Num. 27.16 17. that unlesse God set a man over the Congregation which may goe out and in before them the Congregation of the Lord will be as Sheep without a Sheepheard And we are often told in the Book of Iudges that when there was no King in Israell every man did that which was right in his owne eyes Experience also hath taught all men that tyrannie is nothing so bad as Anarchie Saul was no good King yet his advancement was counted a great favour unto the people for of it Samuel said 1. Sam. 12.24 Consider how great things the Lord hath done for you By his government they reaped divers benefits for he saved them often from their Enemies Saul did slay his Thousands 1. Sam. 18.7 C. 28. 9. C. 22. 7. he destroyed the Sorcerers out of the Land he gave them Fields and Vineyards he made them Captaines over Thousands and over Hundreds insomuch that after his death David ascribed all their wealth unto him saying Ye daughters of Israell 2. Sam. 9.24 weep for Saul which cloathed you in scarlet with pleasures and hanged Ornaments of gold upon your apparell Such benefits came by the government of a Tyrant but when they had no King at all all manner of evill did ensue Whence came it that the People in the wildernesse did worship the golden Calfe but that Moses their Prince and keeper of Religion was absent and Aaron the Priest was too weake to withstand the importunity of the People and whence was it that a little after they were seated in the land of promise the state of Religion became so corrupt and all manner of iniquity so to abound that it is often said in the book of Iudges the Children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the lord the cause appeareth plainly in the text Ioshua their godly Prince was dead and either they had no cheif Governor or at least not one armed with sufficient power to restrain them for it is said they would not obey their Iudges Iud. 2.17 but went a whoring after other Gods So it came to passe that every man did what seemed good in his owne eyes And so it will ever be when there is not authority strong enough to controule our unruly desires therefore the want of a King is threatned as the greatest of judgments Hos 3.4 the children of Israell shall abide many daies without a King and without a Prince and without a Sacrifice Certainly these were miserable dayes in which there were neither justice nor religion But if there be a King set upon the throne of power his feare will restrain the wicked as Solomon saith Prov. 20.8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment chaseth away all evill with his eyes And vers 26. A wise king scattereth the wicked and causeth the wheele to turne over them So that upon the King depends the safety of the people and therefore in the book of Iudges the cheife governor whom God raised up is still called a Saviour because by him God did procure the Salvation of the people The Scripture useth this as a motive to pray for the King Ps 20.10 Lord save thou the King then followeth the reason he answer us in the day we call For that I take to be the true reading of the text In the Ps 144. at the 10. vers there is a thanksgiving for the deliverance of Kings it is he that giveth deliverance to Kings at the 11. vers there is a prayer for King Davids safety Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of strange children and in the verses following he sheweth what great good commeth unto all from his safety that our sonnes may be as Plants Our daughters as the corner stones that our garners may be full c. Eight temporall blessings they be in all yea that which is above all the rest is added in the conclusion Blessed are the people whose God is Iehova for even that too that the Lord be our God that the true religion and worship of God be preserved amongst us doth in a great part depend upon the King But some will say though these blessings come by such a King as David and we are to pray for him yet not for every King yes for every King the Jewes in captivity were commanded to pray for the King of Babel 1. Tim. 2.1 2. and St Paul at that time when Kings were none of the best injoyned us to pray for them and the reason which he useth sheweth that upon their safety doth depend the safety of the people Therefore for Kings that under them we may lead a peaceable life in all Godlinesse and honesty as if he should say if the King be safe the peace will be safe by peace commeth the knowledge of God from the knowledge of God a Godly and honest life Thus to have a King is a blessing unto a Land but to have a good King is the greatest blessing which God can vouchsafe unto a Kingdome And such a King hath God given us He hath not dealt so with any other Nation nor yet with this Nation at other times When God set him over us it might have been said of England as the Queen of Sheba said of Israel when Solomon was King 1. Kings 10.9 Because the Lord loved Israel therefore made he him King to doe Iudgement and Iustice Here I need not to feare the aspersion of flattery for he who flatters the King can expect no reward there is indeed on the other side a reward for Traitors and Libellors and therefore flatterers now speak against the King not for him they blaspheam the Lord and his anoynted And truth never stands more in need of an advocate then when it is spoken against Give me leave therefore out of

but onely the regall and therefore certainly he speakes particularly of Kings and stileth them the ordinance of God And yet I confesse that the equity of the Apostles reason doth bind us by analogie to be subject unto other Governours and to our spirituall rulers but onely Kings are there spoken of in the Text. This I desire may be observed because of a false principle that is laid and taken for granted namely that Government in generall is the Ordinance of God because the edict of nature for that men cannot live without society and no society can be safe or durable without Lawes and Lawes are improfitable without Magistrates but say they the determination of the government and the severall kinds of it whether by one or by few or by many is the invention of men so that Monarchy is no otherwise the ordinance of God then is Democracie and Aristocracie This is an unsure foundation which they lay for the Apostle speaking of Kings calls them the Ordinance of God 1. Pet. 2.13 and St Peter requires subjection unto them For the Lords sake and he knew of no other governours but such as were sent by the King and in that respect to be obeyed Yea in the whole volume of Gods Booke there is not one word to commend or that doth so much as favour either Aristocracie or Democracie Here if the time would permit me and if so large a discourse could be contained within the compasse of a Sermon I would prove unto you first that the government of Kings is Ductu naturae there being in all things a naturall propension unto the government of one Secondly that it is Exemplo Divino it being the government which God established over his owne People he being their King never derived the supreame power over them immediatly from himselfe unto many nor setled it in any body collective but still in the Person of one and more then one successively was never designed by God to be the Prince and Ruler of his People Thirdly that it is Institutione divinâ Almighty God did institute the government of one in the Creation of mankind for he made all mankind of one Hom. 34. in 1. ad Corin. 13. that there might be saith St Chrysostome not a Democracie but a Kingdome If God had created at first more men then one all these equally should have had rule over their posterity but he created onely one and in the Person of that one he fixed a Soveraignty not onely over the Beasts of the field but also over his Wife and Children which before his death grew unto a great number and prospered even into a Kingdome So that albeit Adam had continued in the State of innocency there should have been government order and superiority as there is amongst the Angells and this had been the government of one but if sinne had never entred into the world Democracie nor Aristocracie had never beene knowne it was sinne that gave occasion to these governments and it was the corruption of Monarchie that produced them in the world or rather the perverse and fickle disposition of the People who are impatient of subjection prone to change and desirous of innovation wherein they were stirred up too by the instigation of ambitious men who sought to raise fortunes unto themselves as they now doe by changing of the government That it is so may evidently appeare by this that we know the first originall of all Republickes the first founders of them in Greece and other parts where they were most ancient are recorded in histories But there is none of those histories can tell us who were the first Kings nor what was the very originall of Regall power The reason is this all popular governments came late within the memory and knowledge of ancient writers and their beginning could not but be observed it being an innovation and defection from the ancient and naturall way of government but the first Kings were long before there were any writers and it was not easie to observe the beginning of their power because it did naturally and insensibly flow from that power which was paternall The power of a Father by the increase of his Family his Children and Childrens Children multiplying and many servants being bought and borne unto him did grow unto the power of a King and that Ex vi juris naturae when Fatherly authority could not reach them in regard of their number and extent nor command them because of their unrulinesse it inlarged it selfe into a Kingly power and as by the law of nature they did at first obey him as a Father and Master of the Family so the People growing into a full body and perfect community that subjection was continued and they did obey him as a King I could further shew unto you that this government of Kings is of all other most ancient and universall that it is most perfect as carrying a resemblance of the government of the whole World by one God that it is best for order best for Peace best for strength best for stability and duration and finally best for facility of administration But I have pressed these things formerly in another place * In a Sermon before the King which hereafter may be published in a full Treatise and will not repeat them here but proceed unto the next point which is As the Office of Kings is from God so the advancement of men unto that Office is from him it is he who brings Iudah unto his people We are told thrice by Daniel in one Chapter That the Kingdomes be Gods Chap. 4. vers 24 25 32. and he giveth them to whomsoever he will And this is said to be Sententia vigilum sermo sanctorum So that they are neither holy nor well awake who hold the contrary The same Prophet Chap. 2.20 saith Blessed be the name of God for ever for wisedome and might are his he changeth the times and the seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings he giveth wisedome and knowledge he revealeth secret things Where the advancement of Kings is ascribed unto God no lesse then infinite wisdome power which are his Attributes incommunicable and it is made as proper unto God to set up Kings and remove Kings as it is to change the times and seasons to give wisedome and understanding and to reveale secret things which none but God onely can do To this purpose speak the rest of the Prophets I say saith The royall Diademe is in Gods hand Chap. 62.3 God sets it upon his head saith David Psal 21.3 Their Scepter is his and Gods rod is in their hand Exod. 17.9 Their Thrones be Gods Solomon sate upon the Throne of God 1. Chron. 29.23 They have their commission from God Ioh. 10.35 He called them gods unto whom the word of God came that is a commission from God the power which they exercise is Gods so our Saviour acknowledged to Pilate Ioh. 19.11 that Power

of Christicide nay of Deicide And long before Tully said that in punishing Treason no Iudge can be too cruell We read of a great King who going in his Barge his Crowne fell into the water the Barge-man swumme after it and having recovered it Niceph. Greg. put it on his head onely that he might have the use of his hands to swimme unto the Barge the King gave him a Talent of silver for saving it but cut off his head for wearing it What then should be done to these Traitors who forceably usurp the Kings Crowne and all rights of Majesty they grant Commissions place and displace Officers have made them a new Seale possessed the Kings Revenues Castles Ships raised Armes pressed the Kings Subjects to fight against Himselfe given away a great part of the Land to Srangers to assist them and indeed they have done whatsoever belongeth unto the King to doe and a great deale more And they weare the Kings Crowne not as the Bargeman did to save it for him but to deprive him and his of it for ever These traiterous attempts contrived in Hell have brought such miserable Calamities upon our Kingdomes as would minister occasion and matter to write a new book of Lamentations for the Land is filled with blood and uncivill Warres the Church with Schisme confusion and prophanation of Gods worship the Cities with poverty and want every house with skrikes and lamentations for their dead the grave with bodies and hell with soules And all this since Judah was driven from his people by this most horrid groundlesse and unnaturall Rebellion I am not able to expresse in lively colours the horrible deformitie of this Rebellion that will require a better pen and the best will come short and want words to describe it Onely this I will say that all the Rebellions that ever were since the fall of Adam cannot match it And yet our Kings case in some sort is like unto Davids David was the best of Kings yet he found more thornes in his Crowne then Achab did for it pleased God that he might humble David and every way fit him for his service to traine him up in the Schoole of afflictions First 2. Sam. 15. his unnaturall sonne Absolom under the colour of a vow 2. Sam. 16. caused a great Rebellion against him then Shimei cursed and reviled him calling him a man of blood after this there fell out a difference betweene the men of Israell and the men of Iudah 2. Sam. 19. about the bringing of the King home to his house whereupon Sheba in whose heart Treason had long lurked took an opportunity to blow a Trumpet to Rebellion saying we have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Iesse 2. Sam. 20.1 Such hath been the lot of our most gracious Soveraigne first many unnaturall Absoloms in the Kingdome of Scotland pretending a vow which they called a Covenant with God but was indeed a Covenant against the Lord and against his Anointed raised great Forces against him when he was thus weakned many a wicked Shimei in this Kingdome reviled his government as impious and tyrannicall In the meane time there ariseth a difference amongst the Nobles and Commons touching the establishing of the Kingdome a thing called Militia but hath proved Malitia this gave the hint to many a Sheba first in Ireland and presently after in England and Scotland to blow the Trumpet to Rebellion saying we have no part in David nor Inheritance in the son of Iames. As God hath made His Majesty like David in suffering so may he make him like in overcomming David at last was victorious his end peaceable and glorious all his Enemies were put to shame and confusion Absolom was brought to his deserved end Shimei though reprived for a time yet his hoary head was brought downe to the grave with blood Sheba had his head throwen over the wall Even so let all thine Enemies perish O Lord but upon the Kings head let his Crowne flourish That the Kings Enemies be subdued and he brought back againe unto his house as David was and set upon his throne must be your speciall care Give me leave therefore to exhort you in the words of my Text heare the voyce of Iudah and bring him unto his People I told you before that this blessing is not onely a Prayer but also a Prophesie he foretells that God will heare the voyce of Iudah and bring him unto his People Now you must thinke that God ordinarily worketh by meanes and it is by you he will relieve Iudah and to that effect doth even at this time call for your helpe And therefore that which Moses powred out as a Prayer unto God give me leave to present as a Petition unto you who are the Princes of Iudah that you will be pleased now to heare the voyce of Iudah to bring him unto his People to make his hands sufficient for him and to help him against his Enemies And first heare the voyce of Iudah for now Iudah utters his voyce unto you crying as Moses did who is on the Lords side Exod. 32.26 let him come unto me Now it will be knowne whether you be the People of Iudah for as Christ discerned his Sheep by this marke Iohn 10.27 my Sheep heare my voyce so by this same marke may Iudah discerne his people And think it not strange that I should presume to exhort you unto this dutie for when David after his banishment was to returne he appointed the Priests to speake unto the People to bring him home and King David sent to Zadock and Abiathar the Priests 2. Sam. 19.11 saying speak unto the Elders of Iudah and say why are ye the last to bring the King back unto his house and when Zadock had thus spoken it is said Vers 14. he bowed the heart of all the men of Iudah even as the heart of one man I wish my speech could be so powerfull with you for never was there so great need of help to bring the King back unto his house as now in regard that at this time many of his People have rebelliously withdrawne themselves from him and risen up in Armes against him not like those two hundred men who followed Absolom in the simplicity of their hearts 2. Sam. 15.11 but like Sheba with malice and obstinate resolution against the King They refuse all offers of Peace made by our gracious Soveraigne whereof you are witnesses They demand as hard conditions of Peace from us as Nahash did from Iabesh-Gilead 1. Sam. 11.2 He would grant them no Peace but upon condition that he might thrust out all their right eyes These men will grant no Peace unto the King and Kingdome but upon that condition that they may be allowed to thrust out both our eyes the eye of Learning and the eye of Religion So that the King may say with David Psal 120.6 7. My soule