Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	king_n	lord_n	prince_n	9,482	5	6.1097	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89258	A leaf pull'd from the tree of life: medicinall for the healing of Englands divisions. Or, A glimpse of the excellency of a kingly government. Proving it to be 1. Most Godly. 2. Most Christianlike. 3. Most ancient. 4. Most safe for the people. Written out of love and good will to the peace and tranquility of the three nations, of England, Scotland, and Ireland. By John Moore.	Moore, John, of Wechicombe, near Dunster, Somerset.	1660 (1660)	Wing M2560; Thomason E1026_7; ESTC R208755	14,530	23

A LEAF Pull'd from the Tree Of Life Medicinall for the healing of Englands DIVISIONS Or A Glimpse of the Excellency of a Kingly GOVERNMENT Proving it to be 1. Most Godly 2. Most Christianlike 3. Most Ancient 4. Most Safe for the People Written out of Love and Good Will to the peace and tranquility of the three Nations of England Scotland and Ireland By JOHN MOORE Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the Potters Clay For I am the Lord I change not Let England then take heed of endeavouring to change the mutable decrees and Counsells of God And whether it be more lawfull for the Rulers of the Land to follow the Counsells of God or the wills of a giddy-headed people Let them consider They have rejected the Word of the Lord and what wisedom is in them Cease ye from man whose breath is in his Nostrills for wherein is he to be accounted of London Printed for E. Brewster at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1660. To the true and faithfull Philanthopos Jesus Christ God and man his poor unworthy servant prostrates himselfe begs pardon for his sins and prayeth for a blessing upon the Councills of the King and Parliament ALmighty Prince to whom all power in Heaven earth is given whose only prerogative it is to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords who hast a name given thee which is above every name to which all things in heaven and earth owe obeisance and the bowing of the knee without whom the sons of men can do nothing but that which brings shame and confusion to themselves Pardon and forgive me all my sins and transgressions which I have committed from my child-hood against heaven and in thy sight Be gracious and mercifull to this sinfull Nation wherein I dwell by giving a blessing to those that are appointed by the hand and providence to settle our peace and establish our Laws Thy name is wonderful Counsellor O exalt this name of thine amongst them do thou so guide them with thy counsells that they may do wonderfull things whereof the people may rejoyce Thy name is the mighty God exalt this name of thine amongst them by putting courage into their hearts and Loyalty into their souls that they may endeavour the establishment of and conform them even 〈◊〉 such a Government which most resembles thy divine Majesty that gives thee thy own Title of King of Kings and Lord of Lords that hath thine own 〈…〉 its branches springing out from thee Thy name is the everlasting Father O! do thou beget godly purposes and self-denying practises amongst them Let them bring forth such Acts of righteousness to the people that may be own'd and patroniz'd by such a Father thy name is the Prince of Peace O make thy self known to them in this name also that they may study peace delight in peace rejoyce in peace seek nothing more then peace and in ●his Lord give them such a prosperous and an advantagious issue that they may deservedly be called England's blessed peace-makers Let thy name O Lord be thus hallowed in the midst of them that theremay be a submissive preparation for the coming of thy Kingdom that they may do thy will on Earth after the same manner as it is done in heaven Let them be so far from coveting other mens goods and making a prey upon other mens Estates that they may be content with their daily bread forgive all their imperfections and give them hearts to forgive submissive offenders Keep them from falling into the temptations of Satan and the snares of the world Deliver and protect them from all evill and harm intended against them by men or Devills for the Kingdom power and Glory of all this belongs wholly to thy self from henceforth and for evermore Amen Lord Jesus Even so Amen To the most Christian Prince on Earth Charles the Second by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the truly Ancient Catholik and Apostolick Faith Dread Soveraign WHen I first penn'd the ensuing lines it was in the later end of the month February and the beginning of March 1659. at which time I intended the Dedication of them to Englands happy Parliament now sitting at Westminster by your Royall Authority and since by reason of my own remoteness from London accompanied with a necessity of attending my Ministry they could not come forth in print by the time I intended viz. at the first sitting of the Parliament the decrees of heaven having been since executed for your safe return to your native Birth-right the Crown of England I was necessitated to retract the Dedication of them to the Parliament and being unwilling that those things should dye in the Birth which had gone ou● their full time in the womb of my heart and hand the publishing of them being earnestly desir'd by many of your faithfull subjects I did resolve to midwive them into the world by adventuring upon your Princely Clemency to prostrate them at the feet of your Royal protection hoping they wil find that favour at Court as to have admittance to kiss your gracious hand I shal not trouble your Majesty with a tedious Epistle lest the Gate should be bigger then the City Only let me beg this liberty to seal this my bold attempt with my prayers to the most high that he would ever vouchsafe to bless you in your Royal person with length of days health and safety in your spirit with the comfort and councills of his own in your heart and soul with meekness truth and righteousness In your Royall relations with oneness of hearty lov and unity of Faith in your Privy Councill with wisedom and fidelity In your Parliament with speciall care to your safety and honour In your Nobles with Loyall affection In your Magistrates with uprightness and justice In your Ministers with soundness of Doctrine good Discipline and Piety of life And in all your Subjects from the highest to the lowest with unfeignedness of heart rendring to their King what they owe unto him both by the Law of God and the Laws of the Nation Yea whosoever of us will not obey the Law of our God and the Law of our lawfull King Let judgement be executed upon whether it be unto death or unto banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imp●isonment from either of which rebellions the Lord keep the very thoughts of him whose heart rejoyceth at the Establishment of your Kingly Throne To which in life or death I am resolv'd to be A servant faithfully devoted John Moore From my study at Wechicombe near Dunster in Somerset June 25 1660. To the Impartial Moderate Self-Denying READER WHO ever or of what state soever thou art if thy conscience be not sear'd with the hot Iron of rage and fury against thy own flesh thy brethren the sons of Adam if thy heart be not full of burning coals of anger and revenge if thy judgment be not blinded

the eternall purpose and determinate counsell of God who worheth all his works and bringeth to passe all his actions after the councill of his own will and not after the counsell of any other neither of Saints nor Angells Shall mortall man be more just then God and shall man be more pure then his Maker behold he put no trust in his servants and his Angells he charged with folly how much lesse on them that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the Moth they are destroyed from morning to evening they perish for ever without any regarding it doth not their excellency which is in them go away they dye even without wisdome where is he than that can direct the spirit of Lord or being his Counsellor can teach him with whom took he counsell and who instructed him when he divided to the Nations their inheritance when he separated the sons of Adam and set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel when he establisht a Judge for a governor over the sons of Jacob and placed Kings to rule over the Nations of the Gentiles did not the Lord establish these things by a Law and a decree more unchangable then the Laws of the Medes and Persians which alter not is not the Lord perfect in his counsells yea is not the Lord righteous in his ways and holy in all his workes hath the Lord any where revealed or declared in his Word that he would alter his Counsels or frustrate his own Laws and Ordinances concerning the Government that he had subjected the people to Where is that Counsellor that can enlarge the counsel of the most High Or give a clearer sense and a fuller understanding of his Laws Statutes Ordinances and Judgements then he himself hath given by his Holy Spirit the true Interpreter of his minde If not then Wo be to him that striveth with his Maker Let the Potsheard strive with the Potsheards of the earth and not with the Almighty for surely there is no Counsel against him shall stand their turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the Potters clay And that Form of Government that issued forth from God and hath its foundation in God shall be establisht in the earth for it is most godly and it shall continue till Christ himself shall come The Alpha of all Kings by Gods decree And the Omega of all Kings must be A second reason to prove it most godly is because it carries the Image of Gods essence with it who in and of himself is one the Lord Jehovah is One and in heaven the place of his glorious residence there being no division God hath given the Regiment and Government unto one Person even to his Son so that in Heaven it self where nothing but holiness and godliness is practised is the Government of a single Person establisht The Father loveth the Son saith John chap. 3.25 and hath given all things into his hand and Christ himself saith That all power in heaven and in earth was given to him And elsewhere the Holy Ghost saith That God hath given to him a name which is above every name Can we then write after a more godly pattern of Government then is already written in Heaven by Gods right-hand All the Laws Ordinances and Statutes that Moses delivered to the children of Israel he was commanded to make them all after the Pattern that was shewed him in the Mount where he was with the Lord forty days and forty nights for advice and counsel how to ordet and establish all things both in Church and State in the performance whereof he was faithfull to his trust so then that which hath a heavenly and a holy face cannot have an ungodly visage I would here be understood not to mean corrupt persons in the Government but the Government it self For it is obvious to every eye that corrupt wicked persons may bear rule in that form of Government which in it self is truly godly being instituted by God himself as in the time of the Law in the Office of the Priesthood and under the Gospel in that pure and holy Office of Apostleship yet the Function and Calling remained still a foundation of Godliness whereof Christ himself was the chief corner Stone So that although there be a just and lawfull ground for persons to speak against reprove and oppose wickedness and tyrannie in Governours yet they have no just and lawfull ground to lay hands upon and destroy the Government it self For although it be granted that Kings Princes and Judges may sell themselves to work wickedness exercise Tyrannie and live ungodly yet it is certain they did not derive it from the Government it self nor doth it countenance them in any such thing for if corruption in Governours be any way a lawfull ground to race out the Form of a lawfull Government there is never any Government likely to be establisht in the earth that any of the sons of the first Adam shall have the managing of for by this means a gap will be open'd and a way made for the violent breaking down of All Earthly Government if once the people apprehend themselves to have any power or can gather themselves together to make the least resistance A thing which Christ himself would never do although he had all power in heaven and earth given to him nor hath he left the least precept or the least branch of a Command to any that believe on him or profess his Name to do any such thing but hath left them in subjection and conformity to that state of Government which was then in the earth when he himself was in Person upon the earth and to continue till he come again in Person So that CHAP. II. The Government of a King is most Christian-like FIrst It is most agreeable to and suitable with his own Practice as he was the Son of Man in the time of his residence and abode upon earth Two examples there are extant in the writings of the Evangelists wherein Christ owns a Kingly Government the first in Matth. 17.24 And when they were come to Capernaum they that received Tribute-money came to Peter and said Doth not your Master pay Tribute He saith Yes And when he was come into the House Jesus prevented him saying What thinkest thou Simon Of whom do the Kings of the earth take Custom or Tribute of their own children or of strangers Peter saith unto him Of Strangees Jesus saith unto him Then are the children free Notwithstanding least we should offend them Go thou to the Sea and cast an hook and take up the fish that first cometh and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a piece of money That take and give unto them for me and thee Wherein three things are chiefly noted 1. A question of the Kings Servants to Peter whether his Master did pay Tribute or in effect whether he did conform

himself to and own the Kingly Government then in Judea 2. Peters sudden answer that he did he saith Yes 3. Christ justifying Peters answer for truth and making it good by action wherein he was so far from disowning the Government it self or from giving offence to the Ministers thereof or disputing their Authority that he set his Divine power on work and wrought a miracle for a testimony of it The second is in Matth. 22. from ver 15. to ver 22. where to the question of the Pharisees and Herodians who would gladly have heard him speak the least word against Herods Kingly Power urging him to declare his dis-affection and non-approbation of the Government he returns an answer consonantly to his former action in these words Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods And it will not be unworthy of a serious consideration that he was born educated lived and died under the same Form of Government in all which time there was not the le●st appearance in him of opposing it nor a word spoken by him of his dislike of it and whatsoever he did or spake was the command will and pleasure of his Father * Joh. 16. 31. Joh. 6.38 Joh. 8.29 Secondly besides his own practise in the time of his Pilgrimage on earth he told his Disciples that after his departure he would send them the spirit of truth from his Father which should guide them into all truth Mark that word into all truth which without all peradventure was not only into the knowledge of Divine Mysteries but also how to demean themselves toward all men and what Government they should live under and submit unto Now what that Government was that the Holy Ghost did advise and counsel them yea command them to submit unto and pray for these Scriptures following do shew 1 Pet. 2.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Dearly beloved I beseech you as Pilgrims and Strangers that ye ●bstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the will of God that with wel-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free and not using your liberty as a cloak of malitiousness but as the servants of God esteem all men love the brotherhood fear God Honour the King From these words of the Holy Ghost it is clear to me that we may as well go seek us a new Gospel for our souls as a new Government for our bodies but the Lord hath not left us to our own choice in either except he intends to ruine and destroy us O Lord for thy Names sake Give not up thy servants in England to their own hearts l●st and suffer them not to walk in their own Counsels for if thou leave them to themselves they will ruine and destroy one another and make themselves a scorn and a laughing stock to all their Enemies O give them hearts to hearken to thy word and obey thy voice Let the counsel of thy holy Spirit be seasonably and timely acceptable to them lest they repent it when it is too late The second Scripture is Rom. 13.1 2. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are Ordained of GOD whosoever therefore reresisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation c. Wherein the holy Ghost sheweth that the Government that was then establisht in the earth was establisht by a decree and an Ordinance of God and that those did contract the guilt of sin and judgement to themselves that did gainsay or resist it because they did resist Gods Ordinance The third Scripture is 1 Tim. 2.1 2. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Wherein the Holy Ghost sheweth Christians that it is not only their duty to submit unto that Government that by Gods Ordinance and Decree was then establisht in the earth but also to pray for the safety welfare and prosperity both of the soul and bodies of those that were supream Persons in the Government as the fruits of godliness and honesty As in Martial Discipline it is observable that good and discreet Souldiers observe their Leaders and hearken to the word of Command for want of which they fall into disorder and lay themselves open to be spoiled of their enemies so without doubt it would be both wisdom and discretion in Christians to observe the practise of those that liv'd in the Primitive times of the Gospel that were the first Professors of Christian Religion that lead the Van of Practical godliness and to be followers of them as they were of Christ and this will lead to the third thing CHAP. III. The Government of a KING is most Ancient THat it is most Ancient I think none are so sottish as to deny it and therefore there needs but little to be said in it Yet for satisfaction to some that are beating the Bush to start something from the Form of a new government this much I shall insert that Melchisedec who is recorded in the Scripture without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of day nor end of life was constituted a King on Earth and exercised a Kingly Power and Government over the faithfull Servants of God then living to whom and to whose Government even Abraham whom the holy Ghost stiles the Father of the faithful did most gladly submit This was the first Form of Government that the people of God Gods chosen people were subject to and under which they first received a blessing And whereas it is written that Melchisedec was without beginning of days or end of life so also his Government I mean a Kingly Government had no beginning and shall have no end because it came forth from and was founded in the eternal God and unto him shall return again and have its center for ever in him Alas the Government of a Free-State as some cail it is a new thing or there is no such thing having not one sentence in the Book of God that testifies any such thing except Corah Dathan and Abiram and the two hundred and fifty principal men of the Congregation did intend to establish such a Government when they told Moses that he took too much upon him to list up himself

above the Congregation of the Lord and is therefore both invaluable and inconsiderable to a Kingly Government having nothing of the Image or Superscription of the King of Kings engraven upon it nor so much as the shadow of Antiquity to countenance it CHAP. IV. That the Government of a KING is most safe for the People ANd as the Government of a single person is most Ancient so it carryeth most of the peoples safety with it this also is clear from Scripture and Reason Moses the Servant of the Lord from the tenderness of his heart to Israels safety and fearing least the late distemper of Corah and his Accomplices might be revived after his death to their utter ruine and destruction after that the Lord had told him that he should not go into the Land of Canaan but that he should go up into Mount Nebo and die there earnestly prayed unto the Lord in these words Let the Lord the God of the Spirits of all flesh set a man not men over the Congregation which may go out before them and which may go in before them And which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the Congregation of the Lord be not as sheep without a shepherd Numb 27. 16 17. In this Scripture the Holy Ghost shews these two things First Moses his earnest desires for the Peoples safety Secondly His Proposition to God of what he apprehended might be the most effectual mean for the people to attain it Let the Lord set a man over the Congregation and in the 3. verses following the Holy Ghost shews these things First Gods approbation of Moses his Proposition Secondly his consent and grant of his charitable and loving Petition for the peoples safety And me thinks the Lord speaks thus to him Moses I have read thy Petition I finde it honest just and godly and no way contradicting my mind and will I have therefore granted thy request I have considered thy wisdom in propounding such an effectual means for the peoples safety as the placing one Head Governor over them and I approve of it it likes me well and it shall be done Be it therefore enacted in Heaven by God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost three Persons and one God that the government of a single Person be establisht upon earth as the most effectual means for the preservation peace and safety of the people thereof and that they be conformable and obedient to it And whereas Joshuah the son of Nun hath been hitherto faithfull godly and upright in all his ways and was not consenting to the seditious and Government-despising principles of Corah Dathan and Abiram and hath followed me fully in my Ordinances and commands which I have given to Israel he shall be the man that shall be their Chief governour thus we may see what government was best pleasing to God and most suitable to his minde Israel had a Judge by a heavenly Ordinance and the Nations of the Gentiles a King by an eternal unalterable decree The Reign of Kings to generation came Judges being qualify'd receiv'd the same Secondly The greatest time of safety that God hath promised to his Church and People on Earth in the great union of J●ws and Gentiles will be in the time of a Kingly Government and from thence shall they receive an abundance of indulgency for this is the word which the Lord hath spoken by the Prophet Isaiah Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring thy s●ns in their arms and thy daughters shall be carried on their shoulders and kings shall be thy nursing fathers and their queens thy nursing Mothers they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth and lick up the dust of thy feet and thou shalt know that I am the Lord for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me In this Scripture the Lord hath promised that he wil so bring about and work such a change upon the heart of Kings that they shall be so far from being persecutors of his Church or Exercisers of Tyrannie over them that they shall embrace them with the arms of love and stoop to them with Congies of love that they shall give the right hand of fellowship to them and take sweet counsel together in the house of God that they shall be their chief and choicest friends using their power for their protection whereas formerly they have been great enemies and destroyers thereof Now if a Kingly Government should be raced out and abolished How shall the Church of God have Kings for their nursing Fathers and Queens for their nursing Mothers But besides these Scriptures reason it self will tell us that it is more safe for the people to enjoy a Government invested rather in one person then in a multitude of men for a Nation may very fitly be compared to a private Family consisting of many Servants which can never be well ordered wherein there are many Masters for if according to the words of our Saviour no Servant can well serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and des●ise the other How then can he serve more then twice two hundred Amongst many there may be much division in one there can be but little if any In unity there is safety in Division confusion This is not a bare conjecture or a supposed thing many late years sad experience hath confirmed it for Truth How prone men are to division we need not ask and how bitter the fruit of it is we have been made to know by tasting the forbidden fruit I mean by doing that in obedience to men and their Ordinances which God hath expresly forbidden in his word A Ship must needs sail in hazard and danger of being cast away that hath many Pilots of equal Authority at the Helm let the Marriners handle their Ropes as skilfully as they can and the wind blow never so fair Nor is there any real likelyhood that a sick person should be in safety or recover health that hath a multitude of Physicians about his sick bed If England then would be healed of the Falling-sickness and Convulsion Fits of Division Let them apply to their stomacks the Leaf of a godly Christianlike Ancient Government and they shall be healed or else never Probatum est FINIS Regúm est Parcere subjectis debellare superbos Humanum est errare sed diabolicum aest perseverare