Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	authority_n	king_n	power_n	3,463	5	4.8127	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56747	A sermon upon the death of the queen, preached in the parish-church of St. Mary White-Chappel by William Payne ...	Payne, William, 1650-1696.	1695 (1695)	Wing P909; ESTC R18297	18,546	38

Dr. PAYNE's SERMON UPON THE QUEEN A SERMON UPON THE DEATH OF THE QUEEN Preached in the Parish-Church of St. MARY WHITE-CHAPPEL By WILLIAM PAYNE D. D. Rector of St. Mary White-Chappel And Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty LONDON Printed by J. R. for B. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhil S. Smith and B. Walford at the Princes-Arms in St Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCV A SERMON Preached upon the DEATH OF THE QUEEN PSALM lxxxii 6 and part of the 7. ver I have said Ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the Most High but ye shall dye like Men. THIS Psalm was directed to the Princes Judges and Magistrates of Israel by Asaph the Author of it It is not my design or to my purpose to take any further notice of the Business or Occasion of it then as it gives Them the great Character in my Text calling Them by the Name of Gods and of Angels for that is meant by the Children of the Most High as it is expresly in the Chaldee Yet when it had put these High Titles and Honourable Names upon them and Raised them to a Degree and Quality almost above Mortals it thinks fit to remind them at the same time that they are still but Men Though of that High State and Dignity above others yet subject to the same Death and Mortality with their Poorer and Meaner Brethren Though in some Respects nearer Ally'd to Heaven and like Gods and Angels yet still Akin to Earth and who should dye like Men. I have said Ye are Gods c. The Loss of our Late Excellent Queen Suggests and Offers both parts of my Text to our Thoughts in the fullest manner I am apt to believe She had as much of God in her and as much of Angel as any Prince Judge or Magistrate that ever Sat upon a Throne or a Bench or that was any way Advanced above the rest of Mankind And yet to our great Grief we find She was subject to Death to a Sudden an Over-soon Death had not God thought otherwise as well as any of her Subjects Her God-like and Angelick Qualities which She had not only in common with other Princes but upon many Accounts far above them could not preserve Her from the Common Fate of Mortality of Dying like other Men and Women I shall first show upon what Accounts Princes and Magistrates are called Gods and are like Angels or Children of the Most High And how these Characters do in an especial manner belong to our Late Gracious Queen Secondly I shall consider Theirs and Her Death and what thoughts ought to be thereby suggested to us I. Upon what Accounts Princes and Magistrates are called Gods and are like Angels or Children of the Most High The Expression seems to refer to the Gentile Opinion of many Lesser Gods owing their Birth and Original to and being Children of the Supreme * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Appointed by him to be Rulers and Governours over particular Parts and Provinces of the World as their Jupiter Mars Hercules and others who were indeed only Kings and Rulers Generals and Great Men Deified and Worshipped after their Deaths which was I believe one of the Chief Rises of the Heathen Idolatry and Superstition though there are various Accounts of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a very different History of their Religion Revelation and Christianity give Princes and Magistrates the Name and Title of Gods Elohim as is plain from this Psalm and others Psal 45. Psal 79. Exod. 7.1 1 Sam. 2.11 from other places in the Old Testament and from our Saviours Words in the New John 20.34 not as any Objects of Religious Worship but as partaking some Qualities and Perfections like to those of God and other Superiour Beings who are far above Ordinary Men and chiefly on these three Accounts 1. In Respect of Power 2. As Instruments of Greater Good to the World 3. As Objects of Higher Honour and Esteem 1. Princes are called Gods in respect of their Power and Authority as they are the Ministers of God Rom. 13.4 his Deputies and Vicegerents Appointed and Commissionated to Govern the Lower World under him And 't is usual we know to have Persons called by the Names of those they Represent All Civil Power and Government of whatever kind is from God the Powers that be are Ordain'd of God who is the Fountain of all Authority and Dominion by whom Kings Reign and Princes Decree Justice Prov 8.15 The Particular Specification and Modifying of this Power both as to Persons and Things depends upon Humane Consent and Agreement and the Laws and Customs of Particular Countreys for God has not prescribed any Model of Civil Government nor Appointed either the Subject or the Limits of it but has left it to Humane Prudence and Contrivance and so 't is an Ordinance of Man as St. Peter calls it 1 Pet. 2.13 But Government and Governours are the Ordinance of God and Nature for the Peace Order and Good of the World and are in General of a Divine Original and Institution Princes therefore and Soveraigns are a sort of Earthly Gods and have a Divine Authority committed to them by which they have a Power over Mens Lives which none but God can give them and they bear the Sword Rom. 13.4 Rom. 12.19 and are Revengers to Execute Wrath in the Name of him to whom Vengeance belongeth 2. They are called Gods as they are Instruments of Great Good to the World the Chief Instruments of Divine Providence to Preserve and Procure the Present Well-fare and Worldly Happyness of Mankind all those Benefits and Advantages we have above other Creatures by being in Society with one another The World would be a place of Confusion an Uncivilized and Uncultivated Desart and Mankind only greater Herds of Lyons and Tygers and Wild-Beasts without Government There would be no Peace or Quiet no Order or Civility no Living in the World with any Comfort without it and therefore the worst Government is a Thousand times better than mere Anarchy All Princes and Governours then though Bad are the Authours of a great deal of Good to the World and good Princes are the most Powerful Instruments of doing good next to God himself and are therefore calledby the Name of Benefactors as our Saviour observes and do above all Persons Luke 27.25 make good that saying of homo homini Deus and were thereupon antiently Deified and had Images and Altars Erected to them and now may each of them have that Complement of Tertullus made to them Seeing that by Thee we enjoy great Quietness and that very Worthy Deeds are done unto this Nation by thy Providence we Accept it alwayes and in all Places Most Noble Foelix with all Thankfulness Acts 24.2 3. 3. Upon both these Accounts they are Objects of Honour and Esteem not only upon the Score of their Personal Vertues which shine brighter and have more both of Lustre and Influence when