Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	chief_a	lord_n	plea_n	5,523	5	9.8646	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66730	The true interest of nations impartially stated in a sermon preached at the Lent assizes at Chelmesford in Essex, March 2d. 1690/1 : proving that the promoting universal righteousness, piety, justice, and honesty, is the sure means to exalt a nation ... / by Anthony Walker ...	Walker, Anthony, d. 1692.	1691 (1691)	Wing W311; ESTC R5492	23,518	42

THE TRUE INTEREST OF NATIONS Impartially Stated IN A SERMON PREACHED At the Lent Assizes at Chelmesford in Essex March 2d 1690 1. PROVING That the Promoting universal Righteousness Piety Justice and Honesty is the sure Means to exalt a Nation its Inhabitants and Government in Honour Safety and Prosperity By ANTHONY WALKER D.D. Ezech. 3 19. If thou warn the wicked and he turn not from his Wickedness nor from his wicked Way he shall die in his Iniquity but thou hast delivered thy Soul Verse 2. If thou warn the Righteous that the Righteous sin not and he doth not sin he shall surely live because he is warned Also thou hast delivered thy Soul London Printed for Nathanael Ranew at the King 's Arms in S. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. TO THE Right Honourable Sir Henry Pollixfen Lord Chief Justice of the common-Common-Pleas and Sir Nicholas Letchmere one of the Barons of the Exchequer Judges of Assize for the home-Circuit And the Honourable Collonel J. Cook of Chissel High Sheriff for the County of Essex Much and most deservedly Honoured HOW stale and suspected soever the Pretence be of extorting Importunity to inforce it as an Excuse of appearing in Print yet no Man of Sense nay Prejudice it self than which nothing is more senseless can judge me so far lost to all Sentiments of Truth Modesty and common Prudence as to appeal to such unexceptionable Witnesses in a Case that would not bear it The Truth is I was with so much Reluctancy brought to let this Sermon see more Light which unavoidable late going to Church forc'd me to deliver in the Dark that I rather need to beg Pardon for it But when I had almost to Rudeness withstood Requests a Person of Quality turned intreating into arguing and inforc'd some Passages in the Sermon with which he judged my Denials not well to consist then as the Eagle pierced with an Arrow feathered from its own Wing my obstinacy was vanquished by my own Weapons and with unwilling Willingness I yielded to run the Risk of its losing by the Eye what it had beyond expectation gain'd by the Ear. I heartily bless God that I have liv'd to see Judges in England who cannot only bear but approve such honest plain preaching and desire it may be made publick with hope that it will do some Service to the Nation And if I may touch so small a thing for I cannot own it needs Apology my citing so many Scriptures I suspect will be styled Nimiam Diligentiam and but a solemn trifling Be it so yet I did not run into this right-hand Error blindfold Had my business been only with Men's Ears and Fancies I should have used other Tools But having to do with their Hearts and Consciences and to cut down Sin and build up Righteousness I knew nothing so fit for my Purpose as the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God which is quick and powerful and the only Weapon fit to pull down the strong Holds of Sin and Satan God will be God whether Sinners will or no and his Word will retain an Awe upon Men's Minds how unmodish soever it seem to urge so much of it and will be a golden Sceptre to convince and rule or else a Rod of Iron to condemn and to break in pieces And here I present it to your Honours and the unprejudiced honest Readers and if it may prove useful to the Publick and acceptable to Men of such a Character it shall suffice for a Plea for Righteousness cannot be over-welcome to unrighteous Men till it convince them to forsake it and though it should fall more short of Acceptance from the Press than it exceeded my Hopes from the Pulpit I shall rest satisfy'd in this Act of Obedience to my Betters and Kindness to my Equals and shall study to approve my self more readily Your Honours most Humble and most Obedient Servant A. Walker March 16. 1691. A SERMON PREACHED At the Assizes held at Chelmsford March the 2d 1691. ON Proverbs 14.34 Righteousness exalteth a Nation But Sin is a Reproach to any People THough these Words have no Dependence on the Context nor Coherence with it yet they have a secret Aspect on and a tacit Regard to a supposed Truth which is the Basis on which they are built and the hidden Source and Spring from whence they flow and issue to wit That Noble Principle which Nature hath imprinted on Mankind with Characters as legible as indelible viz. That every man should and every wise and good man will desire and endeavour to promote the Honour Safety and Welfare of his Native Countrey the Nation of which he is a Member For As the first and greatest Law of Nature is to love our selves to preserve our Being and to advance our own Well-being the Second is like unto it to love our Countrey and promote its Happiness and for our Brethren and Companions sake to seek its good Psal 122.8 9. And this being supposed as a Sulstratum the Text directs the Method and the Means in and by which that End may be attained viz. by following after Righteousness and avoiding preventing and suppressing Sin to the utmost of our power both in our selves and others for Righteousness exalts a Nation but Sin is a Reproach to any People Which Divine Aphorism contains an excellent and infallible Receipt and Direction for the Health of the Body Politick prescribed by the ablest and the wisest State-Physician who acceptably begg'd and successfully obtain'd his Skill from God himself 1 Kings 3.9 10 11. And to render it as intelligible and practicable and my Discourse upon it as suitable and seasonable as I can to the present Occasion I will First Set the Parts of the Text in their due Order Secondly Explain them briefly in that Order Thirdly Set before you a Proposition resulting from that Explication comprehending the Scope and Meaning of them In the Text are evidently Three Parts I. A Subject about which somewhat is affirmed A Nation Any People II. Two very different Causes affecting and influencing that Subject Righteousness Sin III. The Effects produced by these Causes Exaltation Repreach Which are as contrary to each other as were the Causes from which they do proceed so that there is an evident Antithesis or Opposition between the two entire Sentences and every Word in either of them And as Contraries set by one another set off and illustrate one the other the Text carries its own Commentary with it and might help to explain it self But I will wave and deny my self that advantage and to husband Time confine my self to the former Branch Righteousness exalts a Nation Every Word of which without Wresting or offering the least Violence to them may bear a Threefold Signification First The Subject Nation may signifie 1. The Countrey or Place inhabited As Take away our Place and Nation John 11.48 2. The People inhabiting in such a Place O People Nations Languages Dan. 3.4 Acts 2.5 But this is so common it