Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	call_v	king_n	law_n	3,001	5	4.8555	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12365	[The magistrates scripture.]	Smith, Henry, 1550?-1591.	1591 (1591)	STC 22681; ESTC S107792	18,636	70

the kings themselues his kings to shew that they are al to god like hands by some he reacheth mercie by some iustice by some peace by some counsell as Christ distributed the loaues and the fishes by the hands of his disciples this God requires of all when he cals them gods to rule as he would rule iudge as he would iudge correct as he would correct reward as he would reward because it is said that they are in steede of the Lord God to doe as he would doe This is a good studie for Magistrates in all their iudgements to consider what God would doe because they are in steede of God I rule for God I speake for God I iudge for God I reward for God I correct for God how would God doe how would he determine And it shall be my sentence as we should thinke how Christ prayed before we praie and how hee spake before we speake because his actions are our instructions so they should thinke how Christ would iudge before they iudge because Gods law is appointed for their law Such a thought must needs leuell the way before them and put them in minde of a good and iust and holy iudgement because God is good and iust and holie Thirdly they are called gods to teach them how they should gouerne howsoeuer other care for the glorie of God the performance of his wil the reformation of his church Princes and rulers which are gods themselues are to doe the businesse of God as their owne busines because they are gods Gods businesse is their busines Gods law is their law Gods honour is their honour When the king or iudge or magistrate doth seek the kingdome and glorie of God he should thinke that he seekes his own kingdome and glorie and therefore seeke it and further it as earnestly diligently as he would his owne and rule and iudge and speake and punish and consult as he would for himselfe euen as Dauid counted Gods foes his foes and Gods friends his friends and Moses persecuted thē which were Idolaters against God as he did them which were traitors to him Fourthly they are called gods to encourage them in their office and to teach them that they need not feare nor dread the persons of men but as God doth that which is iust and good without the iealosie of men so they should forget themselues to be men which are led by the armes betweene fauour and feare and thinke themselues gods which feare nothing This boldnes is so necessarie in them which shold iudge all alike that in Deut. 3. 28. Moses encourageth Iosua in Iosua 2. 18. the people encourage him in the 9. verse God doth encourage him saying that he wil be with him but here he is with him for hearing God call them gods shewes that God is there nay that they are as God which powres such a princelike spirite vpon them as he did vpon Saul so soone as he was king So hearing that they are gods it should change them and make them excell the order of men vntill they resemble God after whō they are named as Salomon studied and prayed till hee was wiser then al that he gouerned Then they need not blush to read this testimonie I haue said ye are gods c. or else it will seeme a checke vnto them As manie sit in gods place and yet neuer knew that the scripture called them gods nor why they haue this name no more then Naball so many play Nabal in their offices and are readier to aske who is Dauid who is Christ when his cause comes before them then speake or doe any thing for him But the womē go before them like Abigail as though God would shame them with the weaker vessel Doth anie man but they forget his name Princes and rulers haue manie names of honour but this is the honorablest name in their titles that they are called gods other names haue bene giuen them of men for reuerence or flatterie but no mā could giue them this name but God himselfe Therfore their name is a glasse wherin they may see their duetie how God doth honour thē and how they should honour him and think what am I more then he that God should set me in his owne chaire giue me his owne name more then to another he hath not done so to al. They which are called his children are happie they which are called his disciples at happie they which are called his seruants are happie but how happie are they whom he calleth gods It seemes that if he could haue called them by a higher name then his owne he would haue called them by some other name but this word is enough to put them in minde of all that they should do thinke that yee are gods and it wil make you ashamed to obey the diuel or the world or the flesh in any thing Therfore how can that Romish Antichrist which sits in the temple of God with his kings Magistrates and set themselues against God be called gods Are they gods where Gods cause is worst heard are they gods which make lawes against God Are the gods persecuters of Gods childrē Nay doth he notly which cals thē noble or soueraigne or gracious If they deserue not their titles how do they deserue their places Can they thinke of their names and not be abashed Can they sit downe in Gods place and speake against him iudge against him decree against him Doth iniquitie become gods doth partialitie become gods do bribes become gods They are greedie gods Idol gods belly gods and may be termed gods because they are like the God of this world which do but staie like Nebuchadnezar vntill their iniquities be full that they may be cast out like beastes a derision to them whom they gouerne But they which regard this honorable testimony of God as Nehemiah said whē he was tempted to fly should such a mā as I fly So whē they are tēpted with bribes say should such a man as I take bribes Should such a man as I do wrong Should such a man as I be a liar or swearer or a scoffer or a drunkard or a gamester or an vsurer or a prophaner vpō whom all eyes are set to take their example and would harken sooner then vnto God himselfe Thē he resolueth to rule according to his name knowing that all the soules which might be wonne by him shal be required of him as the sins of Israel were imputed to Ieroboam Thus God doth flatter them as it were to profite them and cals them gods to teach them their duetie to God All should be godly but they shold be like gods that is as I may say more thē godly or the next to God in godlines If anie come betweene they loose their honour and should thinke themselues put downe like a guest which is set lower or a Iustice turned out of his office