Selected quad for the lemma: judgement_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
judgement_n	according_a	judge_v	sin_n	1,601	5	4.7510	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92778	Solomons choice: or, A president for kings and princes, and all that are in authority, presented in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons at Margarets Westminster, at their publique fast, Septemb. 25. 1644. By Lazarus Seaman, pastor of the Church of Christ at Alhallowes-Breadstreet-London. One of the Assembly of Divines.	Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675.	1644 (1644)	Wing S2177; Thomason E16_23; ESTC R189	37,337	55

will blesse her and she shall be a mother of Nations Kings of people shall be of her (b) Gen 17. 6. 16. Christ rejoyces in it as part of his glory that by him Kings reign● and Princes decree justice (c) Prov. 8. 15. He himselfe was a King and hath thereby sanctified that calling and estate The benefit of this kind of government is as fully asserted in the Scripture as of any other A King that sitteth in the Throne of Jud●ement scattereth away all evill with his eyes (d) Prov. 20. 8. 26. And in the same Chapter A wise King scattereth the wicked and driveth the wheele over them What shall we say to those most considerable places in Jeremy wherein God seemes to set out all the dimensions of his love toward his people the Jewes And it shall come to passe if ye diligently hearken unto me saith the Lord to bring in no burden through the gates of this City on the Sabbath day but hallow the Sabbath day to doe no work therein Then shal there enter into the gates of this City Kings Princes sitting upon the Thron of David riding in Charets c. (e) Jer. 17. 24 25. It seemes therefore that profanation of the Sabbath is very prejudiciall unto Kings and the true sanctifiers Note of it are their best friends It follows in the same book Thus saith the Lord Execute you judgment and righteousnesse deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor and doe no wrong doe no violence unto the stranger the fatherlesse nor the widdow neither shed innocent blood in this place For if ye doe this thing indeed then shall there enter in by the gates of this house Kings sitting upon the Throne of David riding in Charets and on horses he and his servants and his people (a) Jer. 22. 4. By all which it's more then manifest that as it was never worse with that people then when there was no King in Israel (b) Judg. 21. 25. so it should never be better then when God bestowed a King on them as the fruit and recompence of their obedience Among the glorious things which are promised unto the Church of God to be enjoyed in the latter ages of the world this is one and a principall meanes which is ordained towards the compleating of her happinesse that Kings shall be her nursing fathers and Queens her nursing mothers (c) Isa 49. 23. That the sonnes of strangers shall build up her walls and their Kings shall minister unto her (e) Ch. 60. 10. When the New-Jerusalem shall come downe from God Kings shall be no hinderance but shall bring their honour and glory into it (f) Rev. 21. 24. And therefore the most exact reformation in the Church may well consist with this kind of government in the State and the folly of that Proverbe will in due time appeare to all the world No Bishop no King We have therefore the more cause to be humbled this Speciall matter of humiliation day for all the evill which befals us under such a government The cry of such as are rob'd and spoil'd or impoverished is loud the cry of the widdows and fatherlesse is farre greater There is abundance of innocent blood shed in the Land The green tree and the dry are both cast into the fire The circumcised and uncircumcised are visited in like manner We must needs take that in Ezekiel unto our selves Behold I am against thee and will draw forth my Sword out of his sheath and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked (g) Ezel ●1 ● That judgement which is threatned in Zachary lies heavy upon this Kingdome I will no more pitty the inhabitants of the Land saith the Lord but lo I will deliver the men every one into his neighbours hand and into the hand of his King and they shall smite the Land and out of their hand I will not deliver them (a) Z●ch 1● 6. God hath cut asunder his staffe Beauty by withdrawing his wonted Providence toward us and his staffe Bands by breaking the brotherhood betwixt one part of the people and another It shames me to speake of these things without teares of blood But what might be the cause of all this evill In the maine quarrell I am confident we may plead our innocency and say with David in the case betweene him and Saul Judge me O Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to mine integrity that is in me (b) Psal 7. 8. But surely the sins of the one party are not the adequate cause of the judgement on both What say's God Oh that my people had hearkned unto me and that Israel had walked in my waies I should soone have subdued their enemies Psal 8● 13 14 15. and turned my hand against their adversaries The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him And Solomon When a mans waies please the Lord he maketh his Prov. 16. 7. enemies to be at peace with him We must needs conclude therefore that our waies are sinfull crooked waies that are not good seeing so many who were our friends are become our enemies And we also may say We have no King because we feared not the Lord what then should a Hos 10. 3. King doe to us And if we shall still doe wickedly we shall be consumed both we and our King 1 Sam. 12. 25. Yet one Observation more to comfort us a little Solomon 7. Observation is very confident that his heart was in Gods hands Either to blind or inlighten to mollifie or to harden to make him a blessing to Israel or a judgement Let not us therefore despaire either in regard of our selves or Our King He that made Esau and Laban relent towards Genes 33. 4. 31. 29. Jacob That caused Saul to acknowledge unto David Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good where as I have rewarded thee evill And gave 1 Sam. 24. 17. Daniel so large a roome in the affections of Darius notwithstanding the conspiracy of evill-counsellors against him And he that gave his people favour in the eyes of those Dan. 6. 20. who carried them captives even that great heart-commander Psal 106. 46. is able to set us all right in the apprehensions and affections of Him who is now too many waies at distance from us We have a divine testimony to build our faith upon The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever he will And many instances Prov. 21. 1. to strengthen our faith by Almost all the Persian Kings Before them the Babilonian Monark that head of gold and heart of stone to say nothing of Pharaoh the Egyptian How wonderfull is that passage concerning Amphilochius of Iconium * Theodoretus hist Eccles lib. 5 cap. 16. who changed the Arrian Emperors heart by denying that reverence

in matters of faith and Religion should labour to have their senses exercised to discerne both good and evill (d) Heb. 5. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the phrase of the New Testament so all that are in authority should endeavour the like in matters of government Which is the more necessary in these regards 1. For themselves that they may know what they have to doe upon all occasions and distinguish betweene the right hand and the left to secure their owne inward peace and that outward respect reverence and obedience which is necessary from others Nothing doth so much affect the heart of inferiours as to see a divine Spirit in those who are over them When Solomon had given proofe in one speciall instance of his ability this way the Text says All Israel heard of the judgement which the King had judged and they feared the King for they saw that the wisdome of God was in him to doe judgement (e) 1 Kings 3. 28. 2. For others that they may give suum cuique every one that which is their due Praise and encouragement unto such as deserve it and bring the wheele upon the wicked Their frownes and smiles their eare and eye their severity and clemency must be distributed and applied to each person according to their demerit That rule of the Apostle may be of great use here And of some have compassion making a difference (f) Jude 22. v. How miserably the judgements of some are blinded their affections misplaced their waies and doings corrupted for want of ability this way poore subjects have too much seene and felt Haman is preferred at Court when the Tree is fitter for him and Mordecai is forgotten till it was almost too late to remember him There was a great deale of zeale against the poore Gibeonites and none against the Amalekites though there was a Covenant to preserve the one (a) Josh 9 15. and both a generall (b) Deut. 25 19. and a speciall Law (c) 1 Sam. 15. 3. to destroy the other Christ must be crucified Barabbas released The Kings of the earth agree and give their Kingdomes unto the Note beast (d) R●u 17. 17. But when the Kingdoms of this world should become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ The Nations will be angry (e) Ch. 11. 18. 3. Good and evill doe sometimes change apparell and evill is alwaies bold to thrust in even among Governours without asking leave and exalts it selfe in the midst of them I saw under the Sunne the place of judgement that 〈◊〉 3. 16. wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquity was there If it were not so there would be no cause for the Lord to threaten in that manner as he doth by Isaiah Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees 〈◊〉 10. 1. and that write grievousnesse which they have prescribed What is it therefore that Governours especially Law-givers have to doe but to discerne as betweene person and person so likewise betweene Law and Law It followes not because it is a Law therefore it is just * Mi●ah 6. 16. and much lesse is that a good consequence Such or such have a power to make Laws therefore this shall be a Law A discerning faculty must be improved by the way And this shall suffice for the first Doctrine It will be necessary to repeat the second againe in the same termes wherein it was first delivered All that are in place of government have speciall need of wisdome Solomons request must be theirs for themselves 2. Doctr. Give unto thy servant an understanding heart There is a truth in the point whether we apply it to Officers in the Common-wealth or in the Church Moses directing the people of Israel in the choice of Magistrates prescribes wisdome for a necessary qualification Take ye wise men and understanding and knowne among your Tribes and I will make them Rulers over you And when the Apostles Deut. 1. 13. saw it necessary to institute Deacons to ease themselves of their care and burden in serving Tables and making provision for the poore they give the same thing in charge Looke you out among your selves men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and wisdome And if men be not Acts 6. 3. sit to mannage the businesse of the poore unlesse they be even full of the holy Ghost and wisdome it will clearely follow that the greater and more noble imployments doe much more require alike proportion of endowment As for State-governours they have much businesse to runne through Many enemies to encounter with either forraine or domestique or both As Paul said to the Elders of the Church Of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them so may it be Acts 20. 30. said to the Elders of the Land There will be some even among you that will drive their owne designes and consult their owne interests and so make parties and factions to the prejudice of publique good David makes a sad complaint to Abishai Behold my sonne which came forth of my bowels seeketh my life And the like is too often verified 2 Sam. 16. 11. Filius ante diem c. in others Among enemies we may well reckon flatterers hypocrites false friends as well as those who are factious seditious rebellious traiterous heady and high-minded and it will require no small measure of wisdome to deale with all these to advantage The trust which is reposed in supreame Magistrates is great The persons which they have to governe are many in number of different conditions dispositions opinions in whom there is a mixture of all contrarieties That which pleases some others abhorre One mans rise is from anothers ruine The ends which should be prosecuted are high and noble The meanes not easie to be determined and such as often miscarry The subject to be wrought upon is ill affected and so are the instruments The want of a little wisdome doth often prove a great prejudice not onely to the credit of such as are in authority a Eccl 10. 1. but to the successe of their affaires Besides all these generals I desire these few particulars may be taken into consideration 1. Even the best Governours are subject to a great deale of censure * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There be many curious eyes upon them Many that seeke advantages against them and waite for their halting If any evill befall the multitude they are apt to charge it upon such as are over them Moses and Aaron could not have subsisted under the murmurings complaints conspiracies which were directed against them though they were set over Israel by Gods extraordinary appointment had not the Lord himselfe wrought miracles for their preservation and for the dreadfull confusion of Korah and his complices When Davids company were a little more then ordinarily distressed they spake of stoning him 1

them call for more than all this Pray we therefore that the Lord would teach us how to strengthen our friends to gaine our enemies if it be possible But above all how we may glorifie God by doing or suffering in the midst of all scandals and blasphemies whereby he is dishonoured How to use his ordinances aright To try the spirits and to know his true Ministers from the messengers of Satan who transforme themselves into Angels of light Who be the Foxes the little Foxes that spoile the Vines and their tender Grapes and what to doe with them Cant. ● 15. Yet one step further Let 's practise exercise and manifest A fifth branch of the generall exhortation our wisdome in all affaires and upon all occasions When our Saviour says Be wise ●s Serpents and innocent as Doves (a) Mat. 10. 17. he meanes it of a practicall wisdome There is a prudence which some Moralists call prudentia practice practica * which is of all other kinds the most Pavonius in Ethicis disput 1. q. 2. excellent An ability of the mind whereby we know what is fit to be done all circumstances considered and are inclined to doe accordingly If things were so and so as sometimes we fancy and desire we could tell what to doe but as they are we are at our wits end Our duty is to take the worst and make the best of it He 's a skilfull Pilot that knows how to order the ship in a storme so as to prevent shipwracke I 'le conclude this generall part of the exhortation with that of St. James Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you let him shew out of a good conversation his workes with meeknesse of wisdom (b) James 3. 13. And with St. Pauls charge See that ye walke circumspectly or accurately * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as fooles but as wise Redeeming the time because the daies are evill (c) Eph. 5. 15 16. As touching the second part of the exhortation to The speciall exhortation unto Governour● such as are in authority and entrusted with the publique weale out of the depth of affection which I beare them and the righteous cause wherein they are engaged I desire with all due reverence humility and subjection to spread before them the following considerations that their way may be like the path of the just which is ●s the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (d) Prov. 4. 18. The first consideration is this The feare of the Lord is The first speciall consideration the beginning of wisdome (e) Prov. 1. 7. This is so much the more to be regarded because it is so often repeated by the Holy Ghost in Scripture (f) Ch. 9. 10. Job 28 28. Psal 111. 10. If there were no more but a S●la● in the close there should be the more diligent attention to it but being so oft inculcated in the same book and by several men of God our hearts should be deeply affected with it Men that have no feare of God before their eyes are seldome of Gods counsell They plough not with his heifer I meane they consult not with his Spirit in the word no wonder if they read not his riddles All his counsels are to them like the writing on the wall to Belshazzar Yea they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdome is or can be in them (d) Ierem. 8 9. The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his Covenant (e) P●●l 25. 14. As for the wicked 't is with them as with Jerusalem The things which made for her peace were hid from her eyes (f) Luke 19 42. Labour therefore to be really godly that you may be truely wise Have respect unto all Gods Commandements that ye may not be ashamed (g) Psal 119. 6. Let his testimonies be your delight and counsellors (h) Vers 24. Secondly There is a wisdom which God curses beware The second consideration of it He taketh the wise in their own craftinesse And againe The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vaine (i) 1 Cor. 3. 19 ●0 Those words of the Prophet Isaiah are very dreadfull Behold I will proceed to doe a marvellous worke among this people even a marvellous worke and a wonder for the wisdome of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid (k) Isa 29. 14. The causes assigned of this so fearefull a judgement which the Prophet though most eloquent wanted words to expresse were Hypocrisie and Superstition in Religion They that are not wise according to the Word for Religion shall not be wise for the good of the State at least their wisdome shal have no good successe Pharaohs wisdom was to keep Israel under (l) Exod. 1. 10. but thereby he multiplyed strange plagues upon himselfe and people and was utterly overthrowne in the red Sea he and all his Host Balaams wisdome was to cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel (a) Revel 2. 14. to make them eate things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit fornication by this meanes he thought to have brought them under a curse but it lighted on himselfe (b) Num. 31. 8. And on the Moabites and Ammonites Who were ever after to be looked upon as bastards and shut out of the Congregation of Israel unto the tenth generation for ever (c) Deu● 23. 2 3 Achitophels wisdome was to make the difference betweene David and Absolon irreconcileable but God turned it into foolishnesse (d) 2 Sam. 16. 21 Jeroboams wisdome was to make Religion serve the State but while he laboured to stablish himselfe by this meanes he rooted out both his family and the Kingdome it selfe (e) 1 King 12. 26 28. The Jewes were so wise as to reject Christ for feare lest the Romans should take away them and their Nation * John 11. 48. The evill which they feared came upon them the means which they used to prevent a judgment brought it upon them with expedition Therefore let there be no oppression neither of people nor of Ministers Religion must be pure and sincere They who consult other mens mischiefe shall procure their owne No perpetuall war but with the divell and sinne Let our Kingdomes be the Lords and his Christs in the first place entirely lest we be no more a people If he be not the Corner-stone of the whole building both in Church and State all wil prove but a Babel and end accordingly Thirdly consider this Wisdome and Authority are The third consideration not alwaies intail'd The Scribes and Pharisees fate in Moses his chaire and yet were blind leaders of the blind It 's one of Solomons observations too often verified Folly is set in great dignity (f) Ecel 10. 6. But Job speakes more fully of the