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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	bind_v	law_n	moral_a	2,795	5	9.5816	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15992	The Song of Songs, which was Salomons metaphrased in English heroiks by way of dialogue. With certayne of the brides ornaments, viz. poeticall essayes vpon a diuine subiect. Whereunto is added a funerall elegie, consecrate to the memorie of that euer honoured Lord, Iohn, late Bishop of London. By R.A.	Aylett, Robert, 1583-1655?	1621 (1621)	STC 2774; ESTC S104589	110,486	224

pure But if in Subiects of Iniquitie They are contayn'd they cannot so endure But like the Subiect they become corrupt impure 10 Three kinds of Lawes from God I doe obserue Morall Iudiciall Ceremoniall Which three the Iewes did constantly preserue As bound in conscience to obay them all The Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Cease but remayne paternes for imitation The Morall is the same perpetuall That most pure Law which from Mans first creation Continues still to vs without least alteration 11 And though the Rule of Right now doth not tie To the Iudiciall Lawes strict obseruation Yet it doth bind vs to the equitie Thereof as fittest for our imitation Though Blasphemie Theft Murder Fornication Haue not amongst vs now the punishment Which Iewes inflicted by Gods ordination Yet 't is a Rule in all good gouernement The paine vnto the sinne must be equiualent 12 As Lawes right to maintayne and wrong redresse Should be conform'd to the Iudiciall So rules of order and of comelinesse Should imitate Lawes Ceremoniall The Morall Law by some call'd Naturall Is Gods eternall Law by which aboue He things in Heau'n and Earth disposeth all These God ingrau'd in Stone the Iewes to proue But in our hearts they all now written are by loue 13 Mistake me not that I maintayne hereby Grosse Iudaisme or out-worne rudiment Which Christs last Sacrifice did typifie Such Ceremonies long agoe are spent But those whereby we should our selues present In publique Preaching Sacraments Deuotions It well becomes vs all with one consent To imitate without strife or commotions 'T is sinne to disobay Lawes in indifferent motions 14 I know fnll well there is a Law beside This Morall Law which some call Naturall Which vnder God by Nature is impli'de To rule Heau'ns Spheres and Motions which they call The Law of Nature By which rise and fall Sunne Moone and Starres in Motion necessarie But from the Law of Reason whereby all That Reason haue are Agents voluntarie By some call'd Reasons Law my Muse now will not varie 15 From hence as from a Nurserie doe come All Lawes which by good Christian Politie And lawfull Power to vs as bonds become To keepe vs in the bands of Charitie And vs preserue from wrong and iniurie And not by others losse to raise our gayne But leade our liues in Truth and Honestie As not enough from euill to restrayne Except we good performe and others right maintayne 16 Eu'n as we see things wanting life and sense But Agents naturall striue to maintayne The preseruation of the common Ens And 'gainst their naturall course themselues constrayne Eu'n Motions against Nature doe darraigne As heauie stones will vp from Center flie Rather than all a Vacuum entertayne So reasonable men should rather die Then suffer any harme to Vniuersitie 17 And hence come Lawes of Nations which maintayne Leagues betwixt Princes Freedome Seruitude Next ciuill Law whose equitie did gayne Command of all Romes Empires amplitude The Canon Law whose wi●edome did conclude All other Lawes till Pride and Superstition Amongst those sacred Sanctions did intrude So Antichristianizing by ambition That holy Writ must now giue place to their Tradition 18 Thus Statutes of each Countrey Citie Land Which they themselues doe call Municipall All Lawes which now in force with vs doe stand The Common Ciuill Ecclesiasticall All these doe come from the pure Naturall And tend true Right and Iustice to maintayne Respecting Gods true worship aboue all Next Magistrates peace publique common gayne And last that each man may in peace his owne retayne 19 But as from Fountayne seated on a Hill Pure siluer streames in sundrie Channels flow First cleare like Spring from which their waters rill But passing farther thicke and miry grow Defiled by their Channels soile below Eu'n so all Lawes which from th' Eternall come First like the paterne are as pure as snow But doe in time corrupt and base become By Mans corrupted heart through which Lawes streames doe run 20 Base Dust and Ashes dares not be so bold As to define of Righteousnesse Diuine That Iustice pure which Flesh cannot behold But as some rayes here seeme below to shine As farre aboue the reach of humane eyne As infinite Loue Truth and Maiestie Transcends the measure of a finite Line Yet Man at first was fram'd thus righteous by The Righteous God from whom comes none iniquitie 21 For nothing that 's vnrighteous or vniust Hath e're or shall be in his Presence seene Wherefore renouncing all our rags we must In Christs pure Righteousnesse all clothed beene It is a wicked fond conceit to weene Mans righteousnesse once able is to stand Before the Righteous Iudge where our most cleane And perfect acts as vile vnpure are scand Oh wretched Man whom thus Presumption holds in band 22 My feeble Spirits and Soule amaz'd become When I contemplate of the Righteousnesse That with the most Iust God doth euer wonne My Muse vnable farre is to expresse His Iustice which is Truth and Holinesse Therefore I backe now will retire againe To Iustice that brings Man to Happinesse And here on Earth doth Peace and Loue maintayne And first her Nature by her Causes will explayne 23 Out of bad causes good effects to draw Peculiar is to Prouidence Diuine From whence it comes that many a wholsome Law From euill manners seemes to draw her Line But they no causes are For power Diuine Is the first Cause of Iustice and of Right Eu'n as the Sunne which giueth powre to shine To all the glorious Lamps wee see by night Though darknes seeme the cause of their pure twinkling light 24 Yet as the Sunne the Fountayne of all Light Doth of his beames to all those Planets send Which in the absence of the Sunne by night Direct all Trauailers aright to wend So righteous God such Righteousnesse doth lend To Kings and Rulers all that iudge below That they may Right and Iustice true extend And in Gods stead both Light and Guidance show To Men which else to all obliquitie would grow 25 At first when Kings and Princes gan to sway And that no Lawes as yet were on record All did their Princes will and mind obay And the whole Law came from the Princes word Law therefore Kings this Title doth afford And stiles them liuing Lawes by grace Diuine Sent vnto Men to be their Liege and Lord With power to make new Lawes and old define The Head which Members all in politique Body ioyne 26 Thus God first giues Kings power Lawes to ordayne Which power Kings to the Iudges delegate By their Lawes Right and Iustice to maintayne All Power from God doth first begin her date And therefore all ought him to imitate And thereby to doe right and wrong redresse Not onely to encrease their owne estate And liue in Plentie Pride and Wantonnesse For so we make God cause of our vnrighteousnesse 27 So we abuse the Power God doth giue To Pleasures Pride Vnrighteousnesse and Wrong As if we onely

oft assay'd From her youth vp our Church vnto this day But neuer hath their subtiltie preuayl'd Church discipline to alter though I say Martin their spite and malice did bewray When he in scoffes and rayling spent his wit Not sauouring of the Spirit which should pray For Kings and those that at the Sterne doe sit And not ranke Martinisme in Rulers faces spit 49 These first as Theudas-like some great Man rose To whom great multitudes themselues combine And Iudas-like Church tribute did oppose But they are perisht And our fruitfull Vine Yet prospers still and yeelds abundant Wine Which proues it planted is by Gods owne Hand For were 't Mans policy not power Diuine Shee neuer could such furious Beasts withstand But long since had destroyed beene out of this Land 50 Was e're in Israel knowne or Iuda's coast So long peace and such plentie temporall Can any of the Nations like vs boast Deliuerances from bondage spirituall Our God who did vs out of bondage call Protects our Leaders by his power diuine 'Gainst Hell Pope Iesuites Sep'ratists and all And lest our Faith and Hope faile or decline Loe in Prince Charles new hope and all that Princely Line 51 But some may say What 's this to spirituall Hope These were deliuerances temporall But who knowes not by these Hell and the Pope Sought the destrnction of the Spirit and all Loe Faith and Hope now banisht from the stall Of Romes foule Beast for aide flyes to our Land Where Prince Priests People ioyne together all In the defence of Faith and Hope to stand And in their quarrell spend their liues their goods and land 52 Here both haue dwelt safe neare a hundred yeare Since they from Rome were banisht to this Land Where many Saints haue lost their bloods most deare Whilst constantly in their defence they stand And though for neare sixe yeares Romes cruell hand Did in this Land true Faith and Hope assaile Yet since Elizabeth did all command The Champions of true Faith did neuer faile But 'gainst close treason and force open did preuaile 53 And though we lately lost the likeliest Prince That euer liu'd Faith and Hope to defend Yet loe our Hope is more encreased since By Royall Charles whom God doth seeme to send Like Charlemaine his Church secure to shend 'Gainst Antichrist Hell Schisme and Saraceen And all from vs that would Hopes Anchre rend But here my Muse in order should begin To melt away in teares for losse of Anne our Queene 54 Most peerelesse Lady Nobles surest friend The Peoples safetie Clergies firme defence Who constantly did Faith and Hope defend 'Gainst subtile Schisme and Papists virulence Church Patronesse 'gainst the violence Of couetous Sacrilege and griping hands Who spoile Church-liuings vnder false pretence It 'gainst the thrift of true Deuotion stands That Churchmen should haue large possessions goods lands 55 But as when Death from Sonne and Father rent A carefull Mother and a faithfull Wife Isaac Rebecka brought to Sara's Tent To comfort both the Sonnes and Fathers life So we doe hope our Prince will take a Wife Into his Mothers Tent who shall begin Like her to comfort Sonne and Fathers life But soft my Muse this thread too long doth spin Now will I sing of Hope that ought to be within 56 These presidents of Gods Grace Faith Truth Loue Power Wisedome Prouidence and dealing kind With those that trust in him vs well may moue Vnto a stedfast Hope which if we find Within the secret Closet of our mind It is the earnest that to vs doth proue Here all things needfull shall be vs assign'd And we shall haue Hopes end eu'n Heau'n aboue Where Faith and Hope shall leaue vs in the armes of Loue 57 But Faith and Hope implicite generall Brings not to vs this blessed Habitation It must be inward liuely spirituall With true particular right application Of all Christs merits wrought for our saluation Else with vntemper'd morter stones we lay And build vpon vnsound and weake foundation Fie on the Clerkes that so abuse the Lay They vnderstand not what they hope beleeue or pray 58 Which thus would seale vp all in ignorance That they might seale their Pardons vnto all Thus they their state doe mightily aduance By binding or by loosing them that fall Mortall offences and sinnes veniall Differ not in their nature but their pay As sinnes abound their Markets rise and fall So wide to Heau'n they open now the way That loe the richest men with most ease enter may 59 The rellish and true taste of Faith and Hope They turne to ignorance and superstition Gods written Word that wont to be their scope Must now giue place to humane vaine Tradition Their inward Hope is honour wealth ambition And how they may all earthly Kingdomes sway Emp'rours and Kings to them must yeeld submission Else they their Subiects licence them to slay Thus Peters keyes like swords cut all out of their way 60 How doe these foule flagitious crying sinnes Transport my Muse from holy Meditation Which erst in Hope aboue the Seraphins Tooke sweet delight in heau'nly Contemplation Hath shee too long staid in this deuaition Loe now shee doth to Hope returne againe To heau'nly Hope and glorious expectation Which firme and stedfast euer shall remayne Till her in Loues high Court her Sauiour entertayne 61 See here how graciously our God doth deale With his in sending them such enemies Else would Worlds vaine entising pleasures steale Away our hearts to all impieties Such trialls doe the Vertues exercise Of all that set on God their confidence The greater ills that wicked men deuise The faster we doe cleaue to our defence So Hope becomes most firme by such experience 62 And therefore I might better here complayne Of too much Ease Peace and Securitie Luke-warmenesse hollow Dealing these doe trayne More soules to Hell than Popes hostilitie Loe Satan not by force but subtiltie Made our first Parents guiltie of transgression Whom Priests and Iesuites follow cunningly In plotting by auricular Confession Against States Treason and against poore Saints oppression● 63 O let me wish here more than I can hope All Enuie Malice Au'rice laid aside We would make Heau'n the Obiect of our Hope And Faith and Truth may euer be our Guide Thus from Gods Statutes we shall neuer slide Thus We Pope Sep'ratist shall meete in one Whom Truth doth ioyne no Power can diuide Oh! why should Flesh of Flesh and Bone of Bone Differ where God and Christ Faith Baptisme Hope is one 64 Would our owne willing be but to confesse Their errour and returne vnto the right Aband'ning wilfull peeuish singlenesse And censuring things whereof they haue no light Oh would they striue with all their force and might To hold Spirits Vnitie in bond of Peace And not thus with indifferent things to fight Touch taste not handle not which doe encrease Schismes and Diuisions which are Enemies to Peace 65 So long and hot hath beene this

feruent strife For Apples things of order decencie That we alas neglect religious Life Faith Hope Repentance Ioy and Charitie Of things indifferent iudge indifferently The smaller things the greater consequence There is we should with all Humilitie Yeeld vnto them vnfeign'd obedience Not we the Law The Law must rule our Conscience 66 Now could I with Compassion Prayers Teares Beseech you all as to a common flame To lend your Hands your Heads your Hearts your Eares And all your aide and helpe to quench the same 'T is to our Church a foule reproch and shame Christs Coate that is without Seame to diuide When we in substance all doe hold the same Lets humbly in one Hope Faith Loue abide And not fall out for shells to make whose peace Christ di'de 67 But they say Ceremonies now are dead Why should we them againe then viuifie I grant all were in Christ accomplished Which his last Sacrifice did typifie But those of Order and of Decencie Doe for our imitation still remayne As Ephods Offrings Tithes Prayers Prophecie Kneeling such as Deuotion true maintayne The first we doe forbeare The last we doe retayne 68 But now I stray from Hope b●t not from Peace Which is the thing I hope for and desire What shall our strife for Ornaments encrease Whilst Aduersaries in our gates conspire To burne our Townes and blow vs vp with fire Now by our Hope that vp in heau'n is laid I instantly you pray beseech require To lend your publique and your priuate aid That Rulers not for feare but conscience be obaid 69 Hope still pricks on my Muse in this discourse In hope hereby Peace to our Church to gayne But method here doth stop her farther course Who preacheth Order Order must maintayne Hope must not passe her Mother Faith in trayne Lest I doe hope for more than I beleeue For which if I doe pray I pray in vaine God without Faith no prayers doth receaue Hope Prayer without Faith doe oft poore soules deceaue 70 Thou then that art of Faith and Hope the Spring I ●lesse thy Name for this sweet Meditation This light of Hope which thou to me dost bring Oh let true Faith direct my Supplication Vnto my Hope thy holy Habitation That Port of blisse purchas'd by thine owne Blood Spent on the Crosse to finish our saluation This is my Hope This is my heau'nly Food On this faire Hope to rest I hold my chiefest good 71 And here I hope I may haue leaue to rest And stop my Muse a while from following The Vertues praises late so readie prest In Loues high Court for my true welcomming Yet by Gods grace I promise here to sing Of all their praises in their ranke and place If this mine entrance and first hanselling Shall but obtayne amongst those Readers grace Who by these Vertues aide hope to behold Loues face FINIS THE BRIDES ORNAMENTS Poëticall Essayes vpon a Diuine subiect THE SECOND BOOKE Viz. of Iustice and Righteousnesse Truth Mercy Patience Fortitude LONDON Printed by W. Stansby 1621. TO MY MOST LOVING AND TRVELY BELOVED WORTHY GOOD FRIEND Mr. PHILIP KING IN whom for complement there is no roome With him doth so much honesty abound And Iustice to thy Patronage will come Whom I of all men haue the iustest found Thou art no curious Critick nor of those That nothing like in Verse but all in Prose All yours R. A. MEDITAT I. Of Iustice and Righteousnesse 1 WHen first Gods mouing Spirit forth had brought Beasts Fowle Fish creeping things after their kind Loe then He Man in his owne Image wrought And him a Ruler ouer all assign'd Writing within the Tablet of his Mind His Law which should eternally endure And all the Creatures in Obedience bind To Man their King and knit his heart as sure To King of Kings This Law was naturall and pure 2 Here first the right of Soueraigntie began All subiect to the Monarchy of one For euery Creature subiect is to Man While he is subiect vnto God alone This Monarch now is seated in his Throne And the whole World doth with his Scepter sway Here 's the first president that e're was knowne Of gouernment From hence loe Princes may Learne rightly how to rule and Subiects to obay 3 Thus Man of this great World the little King To shew his Soueraigntie gaue all a name And they their Lord as Subiects reu'rencing True Vassals to this little King became Yet Man in honour could not hold the same But did become rude disobedient Breaking that Law he merits hell death shame When he offends that hath the Regiment His double sinne deserues a double punishment 4 In all his workes before the Lord had showne His Loue Power Wisedome Truth and Prouidence But now Mans sinne his Iustice must make knowne Though most notorious was the Mans offence God will not iudge till he makes his defence Man cited then appeares vile naked lame There needes no witnesse but his conscience And though on others he would lay the blame The more his cause is heard the more appeares his shame 5 Besides th' eternall Law within the heart Of Adam God had wrote with his owne Hand He did one Precept vnto him impart Which was indifferent till God did command Of all the Trees that in the Garden stand From one on paine of death he must refrayne Lawes made we may not question or withstand Who breakes them beares the forfeit of the payne When Rulers cease to punish Vice they sinne maintayne 6 Thou that the hearts of all Men dost dispose Of Kings to rule and Subiects to obay From whom all Power proceedes to bind and lose Who humble Men in iudgement guidest ay Thou Iudge of all the World direct I pray Thy humble Seruant to discerne aright Of Iustice that I her delineate may In her true shape vnto the Peoples sight That teaching I may learne and practise to doe right 7 Shee is a constant and perpetuall Will That giues to euery Man what is his right First free from passion shee continues still Constant in her disposing things aright In action next shee taketh most delight And not alone in idle speculation There 's no respect of persons in her sight The same to all without vaine alteration For Law 's the Rule and Square of her administration 8 Iustice the Vertue Law 's the Rule and Square Whereby we truely Iustice exercise Wherefore if in the abstract you declare Lawes Nature shee 's perpetuall constant wise And so with God in heau'n for ay abye But if you view her in the concrete Would Shee varies as the Subiect her employs Then blame not Lawes when wrong we doe behould It comes from Man that 's made of corruptible mould 9 As when pure Wine in putrid Vessell put Becomes vnwholesome ranke vnsauory The fault 's not in the Wine but in the Butt Which doth the sweetnesse of the Wine destroy Eu'n so it fares with Law and Equitie In their owne nature they are perfect