Selected quad for the lemma: nation_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nation_n	king_n	people_n	samuel_n	1,198	5	10.5950	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97343	The Kings chronicle in two sections wherein we have the acts of the wicked and good kings of Iudah fully declared, with the ordering of their militia and grave observations thereupon : this section containes the wayes and works of the bad kings, with marks the Holy Ghost hath set upon them, for the terrour of all those who walke in the wayes of Israel, and after the counsels of the house of Ahab which was to the destruction of Iudah / published by Hezekiah Woodvvard.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1643 (1643)	Wing W3494; ESTC R1678	91,401	115

of Governement they aske a King are shewen the manner of their King Saul is given them He is well advised and ruled by Samuell and is prosperous An Ammonite deales proudly with Israel and is accordingly dealt with and confounded GOD gives Saul a glorious victory over the Philistines and his sonne fullfills a Prophecy He is charged concerning Amaleke and does contrary Then he heares of his rejection David gaines him another victory as wonderfull as the former therein gives the Church assured confidence for ever he is ill requited for it Saul envied him to the day of his death bent the strength of his Militia against David Sauls life was all along contrary to the rule of grace and his death contrary to the light of Nature SAmuell is Israels last Judge and Saul their first King called to that high office and inabled thereunto by GOD Himselfe raised quickly in his thoughts and disposition to the pitch of a King Samuell doe's not rule now though well read and experienced in that Art but orders and directs gives Saul the honour of that hardest worke The ruling of the people but tels him how to doe it Samuell speakes and Saul hearkens and all this while it was well So long as Samuell ruled-out the way of government to Saul and he followed the Rule it was well with Saul and with all the people The Lord made their Militia strong and successefull to a wonder When he transgressed that Rule his spirits fell and he from his princely dignity thrusting himselfe besides the throne with his own hands Notwithstanding the LORD wrought a wonderful deliverance for Israel by the hand of David for which David was ill requited for therefore Saul envied him and turned the edge of his Militia against him Saul should have fought the battels of the Lord and have strengthened himselfe against the Lords and Israels enemies he does the contrary fights against the Lord and his servant David Quickly after his sinne finds him out and the Philistines who gathered strength while Saul strengthened himselfe against the LORD drove Saul into the straits and being there he sought for Death from anothers hands and obtaines it not his owne hand shall doe him that favour since he counts it so and so is his own Executioner Thus I have this once for I shall doe so no more hudled-up and crowded together a large and famous Story which contains many Remarkables of infinite use That is it I intend Therefore I will draw them out one after another if at more length then is expected the intent is good that we may put the more observations upon them The History begins AGe bath overtaken Samuell and his carefull government which is a burden too heavy for him he puts off from himselfe laying the weight thereof on his Sonnes shoulders Joel and Abiah a 1 Sam. 8. 1 2. who judged the people at Bersheba the very utmost City towards the South of Judea The place was inconvenient and very remote so were these two brothers no lesse removed from the justice and virtue of their Father They turned aside after lucre and tooke bribes Bribes in the plurall ver 3. number he that opens his hand to a bribe once seldom shuts it afterwards for the thirst of covetousnesse the more it swalloweth the more it drieth and desireth finding taste in nothing but gaine and so for in-comes that way they set the Law at a price and sold Judgement and Justice to the best Chap-men them that would give the best bribes for it it follows tooke bribes and perverted judgement This injustice in their Judges makes the Elders of Israel very earnest with Samuell to give ver 4. them a King they might justly ask a King now they thought an alteration and change in government now that their Judges were so changed from what they were and so wicked had quite perverted judgement and justice And so importunate they are that they are resolved upon it and will have no denyall They might aske a King but they should not have been so importunate their request was good but it was too hasty and then good things may be ill desired GOD purposed to raise up a King to his People the People after the manner out-pace GOD they will have a King when they please The government by Judges was of GODS institution and at this time setled amongst them they shall have a change of government but they are over-forward to a change and they shall be well check'd for that The Request is put up to Samuell with much importunity he knowes what to doe he enquires of his Oracle asketh the LORDS ver 6. mind in this matter The LORD resolves him saying I was indeed their King before and it was well with them They have reiected Me and not thee that I should not reigne ver 7. over them Now therefore hearken to their voyce but tell them moreover the manner of their King he will know himselfe to be King and then thinke hee may doe what hee listeth The People must know this then perhaps they will understand that ever to be the best kind of Government which God appoints over a people and that if the government be heavy as an yron yoake upon the necks of the People it is but meet for their neckes which are stiffe as an Iron sinnew and because their iniquity is heavy upon them whereof they stand charged to complain and not of the government which the Lord hath set over them Samuell does according to his charge speakes unto the people in the same words And they like themselves turned a deafe eare to all the perswasions and threats which Samuell used and they said Nay but there shall be a King over us e ver 19. The people will not be denied As before so they might have a god of their owne chusing and so soone as they pleased if it were a Calfe they cared not They were as indifferent about their King give them a King that they may be like the Nations and then they were well enough for the manner of their King no matter at all for that Men like their owne time best and their owne choise then Samuell hearing the People say so tooke a viall of oyle and powred it upon Sauls head who was gone forth to seeke Asses and such was the Providence found a Kingdome and said The Lord hath annointed thee to be Captaine over His inheritance a 1 Sam. 10. 1. Then shortly after having well rebuked and disciplined the people b ver 18. he shews them their King openly And all the people shouted and said GOD save the King c ver 24. Then Samuell told the People the Law and Statutes of the Kingdome and wrote it in a book d ver 25. and laid it up before the LORD so dismissed the People and they whose hearts GOD had touched went home with their ver 26. King others but they were children of

to the gods of Damascus which smote him and he said THEY MAY HELPE ME. Did they helpe him Yes after their manner as such gods use to doe they helped-on an utter desolation they helped to bring Judah low to make the Land 2 Chro. 28. 19. and her King NAKED And then having exposed Ahaz and his Land as a naked man to the rage and fury of Adversaries they were the Ruine of him and of all Israel Some things must be observed from this Story of Ahaz by way of Caution first and then for Instruction here is a great deale for Caution first 1. Be well aware whether high or low great or small be we aware That we set not our foot in an Idolatrous way if we doe likely it is we will walke therein stand in it and then sit downe there having made an entrance we cannot tell where we shall stay It were worth the noting if here were time and place to set it downe the pedegree of Idols and then the rise of Idolatrous services In one word the Idolater began with the offering a graine of incense at the first What Error minimus in principio fit maximus in fine Nat. Con. did he offer at the last The sonne of his body for the sinne of his soule Ahaz himselfe is a great example of all this Hee walked in the wayes of the Kings of Israel he made also molten Images 2 Chro. 28. 2. for Baalim Moreover he burnt Incense in the valley The ver 3. Calves of Jeroboam drew him on to the gods of the Heathen and now Bulls and Goates are too little for his new gods his owne flesh and blood is but deare enough He that burnt Incense but now now burnes his Children in the fire When a man has ver 3. set footing in an ill way he knowes not where he shall stop And 2. Beware we set not up an Altar which GOD commands not though it be but one and we can make it a gaudy one and patterne it as neare as can be to GODS Altar yet beware of this one for this one will draw on a second and a second a third Ahaz is a great example here also he set up an Altar in the holy place Did he cease there No Now he gathers all his precious things together and all to make and adorne his Altars he made him Altars in every corner of Jerusalem nor ver 24. there only but in every severall City of Judah he made high places to burn Incense unto other gods and provoked to anger the LORD ver 25. GOD of his Fathers And 3. Beware we shut not up the eye against the light Of all the Creatures GOD has created it is not safe to play with the light I have read of one who would not be beholding to the Sunne for it's light to walke or to worke by he would close up his eyes and put a cover over At length he be thought himselfe and was content to see the light and to take benefit from it but he had covered his eyes so long that taking off the cover he found his eye in the same place but the sight was gone He had dallied with light too long It is excellent which Augustine saith what good dost thou to the fountaine Aug. 10. 5. when thou drinkest of it Thou art refreshed from it and that is thy benefit So also from the fountaine of light thou seest by it thou maist walke and worke by it and that is thy benefit Be not proud then doe not shut thine eye against the light though it be but the light of nature yet let it in and make we much of it then GOD will entrust us with a greater light He that is faithfull in a little shall be Ruler over much but he that improveth not his little shall have that taken from him which he hath neglected or not improved to his owne good and the glory of the giver Ahaz is a great example of this also he playd with light he thrust it from him he would not take the benefit of that common light which as a common dole the LORD gives out to every man He put confidence in man Come said he and save me then in stocks and stones abominable Idols saying these may helpe me he trusted in them How then Then he had eyes and saw not an heart but understood not as a silly Dove without an heart he was as senslesse as the stocks he trusted in They that make them are like unto them So is every one that trusteth in them Psa 135. 18. Then from that time he sought helpe from those despicable things to the day of his death he walked in the world as a man in a Dungeon groping his way as in the thickest darknesse So much in way of Caution now wee must receive Counsell hence and sound Instruction First That Strange gods will blind a King strangely they will degrade 1. a man they take away his Excellency and Crowne his understanding judgement reason nay his sense also and leave him in the darke So as he shall blunder on in the face of the Angell and his drawne Sword to his owne destruction and to the ruine of his Kingdome And secondly That Idolatry which is an humbling a mans selfe before dumb 2. Idols is a sore transgression against the LORD and brings sore judgements upon a Land puts it into a forlorne and helpelesse condition from out of the KINGS protection so as no person nor thing can be a cover unto it whereby to hide it's filthy nakednesse It brings a Nation low and makes a people naked And thirdly That The whole Host of Heaven and Earth will be our Enemies till we make GOD our friend The King of Israel 3. said well if the LORD doe not helpe neither person nor any thing can doe us any good And GOD never 2 Kin. 6. 27. helpes them who expect helpe from persons and things which GOD hath cursed And fourthly That Wherin we put confidence whether person or thing will do us all the mischiefe and so avenge the quarrell of GODS 4. Covenant It was so here Tiglath from whom Ahaz expected salvation distressed him Israel was a scourage to Judah Assiria a Scorpion to Israel and Judah both but the gods of Damascus which he thought would helpe him were the ruine of him and of all Iudah 5. A heart hardned in sinne especially brawned in the sinne of Idolatry is seldome wrought upon either by mercies or 5. miseries though the mercies be exceeding abundant and sweet and the miseries exceeding bitter and sharpe Ahaz was wooed allured and tryed both wayes yet he continued as hard as a Rock This is King Ahaz In the time of his distresse in that considering time he considered not but blundred on and trespassed yet more against the LORD Therefore there is a marke set upon him This is that King Ahaz for he sacrificed unto