Selected quad for the lemma: end_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
end_n	good_a	law_n	moral_a	1,338	5	9.0849	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85688	Vox cœli, containing maxims of pious policy: wherein severall cases of conscience are briefly discussed; as I. In what subject the supream power of a nation doth reside. II. What is the extent of that power, and in what causes it doth appear, with the due restrictions and limitations thereof according to the Gospell. III. What obedience is due unto that power from all persons, superiour and inferiour, with other cases of great weight, very necessary to reconcile our late differences judiciously stated and impartially ballanced in the scale of the sanctuary. / By Enoch Grey minist	Grey, Enoch.	1649 (1649)	Wing G1968; Thomason E565_20; ESTC R202336	50,311	67

sinnes infinite saith Job Open thy mouth for the dumb that is the patient expectance of the poor doth pleade the cause of the needy saith the Lord that he may forget his Povarty and his misery no more least the dumb sig●es cry aloud to heaven for justice upon those who would not afford them justice the complaine of such pieroeth the heavens 〈◊〉 the heart of the 〈◊〉 in the wals the timber of the house proc●teth judgement men●ilesse to those who shewed no mercy Iob telleth us that his soul was grieved for the necessities of the poor to whom he was a father from whom he never withhold their desire never caused their eyes to full that hee searched out their cause for them whereby the blessing of those ready to perish came upon him saith he if ever I failed them when I might have helped them in the gate that is in the right of their cause by a speedy administration of Justice them et my arm fall from the shoulder blade and let it be broken from 〈◊〉 bone and he gives this for the reason this I did because I feared the Almighty destruction from the Lord was a terro● to me by reason of his highnesse I could not endure that is he knew that the Lord would be very angry with such neglect and how unable he was to bear divine displeasure and therefore he durst not but judge their cause speedily with respect to their necessity to their importunity The Lord speaking to the Governors of Israel commands them to execute judgment in the morning that is early speedily in the greatest necessities and extremities of his people without tedious attendance and circumstance lest saith he my fury goe forth like fire and there be none to quench it shalt thou reign because thou closest thy self in cedar did not thy father do judgment and justice and then it was well 〈◊〉 him he judged the cause of the poor and needy and then 〈◊〉 was well with him was not this to know me saith the Lord but thine eyes and thy heart are not but for thy covetousnes●● saith he unto Jehoi●kim therefore thou shalt be buried with the buriall of an Asse the neglect of justice hastens divine displeasure procures humane hatred Such cannot plead want of opportunities to afford every person in every cause audience the weightyest and important affairs of State depending upon them they not wanting power as J●●bro counselled in the li●e case to ordain Commissioners in Hundreds or Counties men fearing God to hear and determine such causes as can ●e determined in no other Court but by such Authority were such cases their own did their persons or their relations suffer by such neglects they would find time and friends to serve themselves he that ruleth over men must be just and ruling in the fear of God as the light of the morning when the sun riseth even a morning without clouds I shall conclude this head with three or four Corollaries as the foundations of Justice 1. Measure every civill action by a divine rule There is an eternall justice in the divine law and every humane constitution no further binds any soul to obedience active then it hath sympathy and agreement therewith Every Legislator ultimately intends obedience active rather then passive in cases weighty and momentall tending to the necessary constitution and preservation of Societies and Common-wealths but no law can give satisfaction to the conscience with which I am bound to obey if it be not primitively grounded upon the word either directly or by necessary inference The power of the Magistrate is not absolute his authority is ministeriall his jurisdiction is restrictive his power limited to the word as his rule which onely makes his command lawfull and he commanding what God commands a witting and wllfull breach thereof with a disloyall minde is a double sinne against God commanding against the power ordained by God All posi●ive constitutions tending to civill peace to common good are generally commanded by God in his word and to be obeyed upon paine of judgment and humane lawes urging those acts morally good do but enjoine what God requires these law-makers therein being the Lords extentors administrators or assignes to execute what he prescribeth The necessity of all law doth arise from the necessity of the end thereof and proportionable to that end which is publick good profit safety and liberty so great is the necessity of constitution and observation for any to impeach or prejudice the power ordaining to obstruct or interrupt the end for which that power or law is ordained such an act is usurpation presumption and rebellion in that person whosoever he be and is a fi●ue not only against man but God whose word enacts that law to such an end in generall terms Secondly The moral Law the ground of justice under the Gospal doth not onely binde us Gentiles to the rules of justice commutative or distributive but the very same penalties primitively imposed by God upon the Jewes in the same cases do as well oblige us to the same punishments because the morall equitie of those lawes remaine Hence from the equity of that Politique law the spirit of God argeth the necessity of maintenance of ministers under the Gospell This is an everlasting Maxim that what law was given to the Jewes and not as Jewes i. e. respective as a people in Covenant with God above all other Nations as a people redeemed from bondage preserved in the Wildernesse delivered from the deeps possessed of Canaan but as mortall men subject to the like infirmities with those of the Nations alike bound to the observance of the lawes of nature dictates of conscience and principles of religion reason and justice with others naturally the same law is as binding to us as to them If prudent Philosophers or wise Statesmen for the preservation of Societies Families or Common-wealths by natural reason and conscience judge that necessary and just for and in their owne State which the Law of God determines such in the Politie of the Jewes as death in cases of murther adultery c. this law cannot be said to be peculiar to the Stars of the Jewes the same reason binding all Nations to the sa●● observance which did binde them to obedience Upon this ground the Lord inforceth the judiciall law upon the Jews forbidding them to walke in the manners of the Nations because for such sinnes the Lord abhorred those Nations Every judiciall Law hath the same morall reason to inforce obedience the same common equity inherent in it if it upholds the State or intends the establishment of any of the three States of the world i. e. Families Churches or Common-wealths Thirdly The best men in making Lawes are subject to humane frailties to errour to ignorance to misinformation to prejudice and mistake and when they have made lawes as neare as possibly agreeable to divine equity in their owne apprehensions

speciall controversie with a Nation and some great judgment to in flict he leaveth such persons to the power of such corruptions against the strength of all humble advice and counsell to the contrary that thereby he may make a way to his wrath But now if the Lord ingage with us let enemies consederate let Nations associate their power shall be broken their counsell shall not stand saith the Prophet For the Lord is with us all such as are incensed against us shall be as nothing all that war against us saith the same Prophet shall perish for God is with us The Lord when he gave the charge of Israel to Joshua tells him that he would be with him and would not ●ail him nor forsake him only he chargeth him to be strong and very couragious that he might observe to doe all that is written in the Law for then should he make his way prosperous then should ●e have good successe Gods presence and blessing whithersoever he went in all his actions and undertakings Now 2 That cause is good which is begun by rule 〈◊〉 carried on by the same measure with an uniforme and constant motion to holy and honourable ends if any Act be done to please man out of feare or favour unto any or if it be done out of private selfe or sinister respect to personall ends and interest honour or estate those acts are odious in the sight of God and will be dreadfull against the souls of such men when God awakens conscience The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites who among us shal dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings If done with respect to the honour of God only such acts are acceptable Secondly Good if uniforme if our motions he straight without deflectibility constant and permanent without instability The Apostle tells us that such as are like waves rouling and swelling by the motion of the winde such shall never excell never receive wisdome whereby to excell 〈◊〉 the hands of God Such whose mindes are fixed upon severall objects interests and ends whereby their wil● are possessed with an habituall and native flectibility to one object at one time with some deflectibility in respect unto some other at another time divers from what before they intended these are double minded and therefore unstable in all their wayes as we see in Bala●● ●e durst not but obey the command of God and yet inclined to gratifie the humours of B●la●k to obtaine his owne covetous ends and to attaine the same by his sinfull wits ●e undermines the divine will of God It is a fatall simplicity preceding destruction for our owne ends to gratifie to comply with enemies to God such persons must needs be man of uncertain mindes and various resolutions Thirdly I● our eye be upon the Rule upon that w●y wherein the Lord would have us walke to beginne to continue therein in a counter motion to the sinnes of the 〈◊〉 with the remotion of such corruptions discovered by the word by the holinesse and righteousnesse of divine 〈◊〉 crossing our corrupt ends 〈◊〉 and interests to which 〈◊〉 our hearts 〈◊〉 ●lu●d such a●●● are good But 〈…〉 of ou● hearts be so strong and 〈…〉 stumble and fal that we take offence displeasure at the truths of God discovered or the works and providence of God administred because unsuitable to our wils to our interests this case is very dangerous God will never owne it nor us therein Secondly the strength of your authority that would bee considered in the next place Potestat juxta necessitatem habitat is a Pythagorian Maxim violent necessities have enforced private persons to publick actions when against all law as w●● see in the cases of Hester and of Jehojadah It is an everlasting Rule in politicks that no State can admit any law or priviledge whatsoever but the same at some times and in cases of necessitie and urgency must be violated Wise men in the consideration of the Acts of States-men should respect the reasons and the ends of their acts more then the acts themselves the reason of State lies in the publicke safety the J●● Reipubl cae is the bond of Parliament and viv● Ratio manifesta equi●as is the very anima legis and the fundamentall of all imperiall lawes in all Kingdom● and Common-wealths This is a maxime in Theologie as well as in morality that the law is good because it is just The affairs of State should not bee managed by custome by the opinions or affections of men by the private ends or interests of any but by Religion by Reason by Conscience the rules of all acts being divine and all humane motions must be sutable to the decrees of God of natures law to the rules of equity and for the welfare of the Republicke and the necessity of law is to be weighed in the scale of preservation of publicke peace of liberty of profit and of the safety of the whole before respect unto any private person honor or advantage The strict and grammaticall construction of Law bindes not a private person in a publick case If my neighbours house be on a fire I may pull down the house next it rather then endanger a City or street a servant may by violence pluck his Master out of doors in case his person be in perill by fire What Jury will condemn a man that steals a loa●e of bread to save his owne and his childrens life if hee could not obtaine it by begging If a Patient be sick and his Physitian forbids him wine or strong water this patient and his friends will be very respective and strict in the due observance of that rule But now in case of a swoone though the Patient desire it not yea deny it refuse it being insensible of his state and of that necessity his friends force him to take quantum sufficit notwithstanding the order to the contrary This Physitian being rationall neither can nor will be offended therewith the necessity of his patient being of more force in this present case then his former prescription was in the other which although it did not expresly except any yet necessarily did imply an exception in this case that inhibition onely respecting this end the life and health of the patient which by no other meanes at this time could be provided for but by such a violation the like may be said in such cases wherein the safety of a State consisteth Never State had more pressing necessities then you now in respect of your own security your persons posterities honours and estates yet more in respect of your friends who have been firm to you hitherto and most of all in respect to the people in generall much dissatisfied to the souldier who is discontented and should thereupon forsake you what dangers must necessarily invade you your wisdomes understand you had need be active

hope wil advise wil prescribe a powerful effectuall remedy to their everlasting honor How have Heathens honoured th●se who were Reipul li●● M●di●i vel Patroni as Scip●o among the Romans Aristides among the Athenians What glory did the Senate of Rome conferre upon Arcadius of whom they said it had been good that he had never been borne or that he might not dye Yet these affections fall infinitely short of the blessing and prayers of the Saints and of the reward and priviledge of the blessed in heaven conserd by the Lord upon those faithfull to himself to the Publick for his sake In civill Acts remember that decree of Honorius who enacted that that only should be done by every man unto another which he would should be done by that other to himself were he in his relation station or condition a Christian rule yea Christs own rule In Religious Acts remember the Counsell of Nazian●●n {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Lord the beginning the end the ●●dium of all those who honor the Lord even those will the Lord honour and you so doing to be the very glory of Christ in his Churches the only excellent upon the earth in whom the delights of God Angels and Saints are fixed as glorious and renowned Instruments as the worlds worthies and of whom indeed it is unworthy Thus much concerning JVSTICE But now to manage both Religion and Justice wel two Cardinall vertues are especially required 1 Prudence 2 Fortitude 1. PRudence wisedome and knowledge is the stability of our aimes a change of Government whether religious or civill without prudence is perillous Omnis sub●●a ●●●tatio est peri●ules● for it is in a body politique at in a body naturall by a man of understanding and knowledg the state of a Land is prolonged saith Solomon as Justice will 〈…〉 a change Injurious nor Religion a change corrupt 〈◊〉 ●●sdome will never resent it unlesse it appear to be a change for the best to the security of both conducible to publique good and safety to peace to ease and liberty or common sense and reason will dictate what calamities must follow A generall dissatisfaction and popular discontent was ever by the wisest States men apprehended ominous but a disunion and division amongst the godly and those best affected to the waies of Religion and Justice in the fundamentalls of each is by the wisest God concluded fatall and above all things amongst wise men to be feared and to be remedied To every purpose there is both time and judgement saith the wise man and a wise mans heart discerneth it but he that is imprudent considereth it not wherefore the misery of man is great upon him wickednesse and sin saith Solomon doth confound the wisdome of the wise whereby they lose their judgments slip their seasons and procure sudden certaine inevitable and irrecoverable miseries to themselves and others Every State hath its Crists and time subjects it to motion and mutation the reason is given in Politiques quie p●●est●● humana in hominum voluntatibus radic●tur Judgment the result of all purposes of all actions and attempts is wrapt up within time hence is that rule in Politicks Consiliarius ●em● melior est quam tempur The Acts of States must be correspondent to the necessity of the times and the greatest persons must vail must subject to the time to the authority that is We find in Histories the judgment and resolutions of the greatest Princes and Counsellors have been necessitated to subject to the will and unjust demands of Rebells the sad effects of imprudence We may read that the Acts of State do alter according to the urgencies of the people or present exigencies of time wherein it is more honorable toyeeld to the just demands of friends as the means the only means to prevent the imperious commands of Rebells An equall satisfaction of every interest without wrong to Christ and his truth is the best policy under heaven the only means to prevent civill broyles all Histories sacred and morall declare the calamitous events occasioned by such breaches 2. Whereby the highest most honorable undertakings of the wisest and most prudent States-men have frequently been subjected to the worst successes● to that end it is the best reason of State for persons publick to remove every ground of private jealousie in what concerns their own particular interest or benefit and to give a reall demonstration by some selfe-denying act that it is the Publick they serve although to their private dammage It is said of Israel that hee was an empty vine bringing forth fruit to himself 1. Israel though a vine a choice and a precious plant excelling al plants 2. Though a vine supported with the wall of strength promising security to himselfe 3. Though a vine spreading with greatnesse and flourishing with honour having leaves and promising fruits unto others yet Israel is 4. A vine that is empty of fruit There is a worme at the root of this vine which drawes this strength consumes this honor frustrates th●se hopes self-interest which undermines personal nationall felicity prosperity which renders Israel em●ty and unfruitfull to God to the Publick to himself Self-ends perverts the wisest men in their best actions and renders them the worst in the eye of God and good men of God who judgath of the action by the end to whom our dispositions are manifest Prudence is necessary to advise to consult with in all actions but especially to bet our companion in grand designs and undertakings No wiseman will ever attempt any action without good advice much lesse will he undertake important affaires upon sleighty debates Iest by overmuch hast and violence such enterprises prove unsuccessefull Quintus Fabius esteemed it more honor to be reputed slow then to hazard his affairs by precipitance 1. Prudence to improve those opportunities within time lest if they ●ee once lost the best advice meet with the worst event and the misery of a State thereupon be great for sudden and lasting miseries due ever follow the losse of opportunities Therefore saith the Politician opportunities must be closely pursued that no advantage of time ●e lost ●ro●●●●apill●ta 〈…〉 est oc●asi● 〈◊〉 le●● saith he whilest like fool●● we 〈◊〉 ou● selves to win the game we depart the greatest los●●● Upon wh●● advantage Mag●a Ch●r●● Ch●rta de Forresta and other Gra●●● and Acts were obtained and how maintained our own Chronicles record And it is not only wisdome to get but o● the two pieces 't is the greatest policy to preserve what is so obtained Would it not to that end be great prudence to settle the land Forces 1. in the severall Counties in confiding hands The officers commanding the members commanded to be truly religious and of approved integrity and fidelities hath not time and experience discovered in every County City Town and Village who are faithfull w●● disaffected and who by such influences are able and