Selected quad for the lemma: peace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
peace_n	bring_v	good_a	tiding_n	2,863	5	11.4428	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10400	Noble Blastus the honor of a lord chamberlaine: and of a good bed-chamber--man: or The courtier justified in conditions of peace. Being a sermon preacht the 27. of March, 1631. before Sir Lucius Cary, and the congregation at Burford Church in Oxfordshire; with speciall relation to the Coronation-day, and the plague and dearth then among the people. By Iohn Randol Bachelor in Divinitie, of Brasen-nose Colledge in Oxford.	Randal, John, b. 1594 or 5.	1633 (1633)	STC 20684; ESTC S115627	20,820	42

another but like the musick of the Lute where all the strings harmoniously agree so come they now with one accord It seemes it was a popular estate and that the Citizens had all their voices in matters of so great a consequence as was the consultation of peace and warre such was the custome of Aristotles time Lib. 4. politic cap. 14. and here some hundreds of yeares after that They came with one accord And yet the cities came not all abroad but men selected for the embassie of peace The whole Kingdome may be said to doe whatsoever is done by eligible men Embassadors and agents are of antient right and must be able to perswade or to discusse a cause and they by their embassadors came with one accord and perswaded Blastus They are come then but not yet admitted into the presence of the King Kings live in greater state then Free Cities doe there is no treating with them unlesse some great Internuncio be made your friend therefore they perswade Blastus Arch-Prophet Nathan himselfe of old did not enter into Davids presence untill some great attendant had preinformed the King 1 Kings 1.23 Nor here the Embassadors of Tyre to preserve the ancient honor of the Jewes Court dare once presume without the mediation of Blastus to enter the presence of the King But they came with one accord and having perswaded Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine one of or one over the Kings Bebchamber But who may this Blastus bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greeke in Latin Germen is a branch or yong twigge in our English tongue it skills not greatly what the name but what the nature and office of the man imports his office was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either one of the Kings bedchamber or one over the Kings bedchamber either Provost over the whole chamber as the Imperiall order is or else one of the Chamber to his sacred person it is uncertaine which for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in office will beare both ingreek But certaine it is that he was very neare and very deare unto the King himselfe some prime bedchamber man at least it may be of his secret Councell too such as Aristotle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 2. of his Polit. and 5. chap. men surpassing others in qualities laudable and fit for Courts Some streine it to the Treasurer or Secretary of State because they have alwayes free accesse to the presence of the King but that cannot so properly be here for they are neither of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither directly over nor directly of the Kings bedchamber as here Blastus was sayes my learned councell of interpreters upon the text Illustrious Princes have many noble servants wise in the worlds esteeme and gracious in their masters eyes of this sort Blastus was The matter they propound was faire and advantageous to the King as well as to themselves So Blastus hee becomes the mediator of their peace The Courtier justified against all his adversaries English Greek and Latin But O noble Blastus I finde thee much accused a Jury of interpreters have condēned thee for a corrupted man I am ashamed to name them there are so many of them wel oyled with gifts thou undertak●●st the cause they say or else thou wouldst not speake a word But which of thē can prove it to be so Why might not Blastus being great in office noble in dispositiō of nature as his very name imports and prudently foreseeing that the matter might be wel accorded both for the Kings purpose the Tyrians future good of his meere goodness rather thē of covetousness undertake the cause Or if he had a large reward yet should not their words be larger thē his fee if he had a large reward yet it is excusable because the laborer is worthy of his hire especially in so good a cause as peace If he had a large reward yet the more excusable it is because the Tyrians and Sidonians were very rich very well able to bestow it upon him rapacious Merchants and proud inhabitants of Tyre long had their unrighteous riches audaciously offended God yet Blastus doth take none but what they doe most affectionately perswade him to accept and therefore still the more laudable it was for they perswaded Blastus saith the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they perswading Blastus of the Kings Bed-Chamber Perswading So that he was neither pragmaticall nor corrupt not pragmaticall to undertake the cause till he was perswaded to it nor yet corrupt to undertake it for any thing so much as for perswasion when once he saw the goodnesse of the cause and therefore to argue more strongly still from the plaine text it selfe which is the end of all controversie if really and indeed Blastus had a large reward yet ought not any living man to say it was so because the Scripture useth a more mollifying phrase and only saith he was perswaded to it The most sacred Spirit of the text thus teaching the rudenesse of the world not to defame a Court the derogation doth redound to the Prince himselfe but to ingratiate their manners with all candidnesse of speech he sayes not that they corrupted but they perswaded Blastus What then the very language of the holy Ghost names a meere perswasion how dares the rudenesse or the envy of inferiour men call that very same thing corruption And they perswading Blastus You know that honour may invite justice may require yea want of safety may necessitate a man to have a suite at Court For woe to the oppressed if they might not have recourse unto their King yet more then woe if their mediators be ignobleminded men Miserable is he that dealeth with a grype twice miserable that with a propitious foole but thrice lamentable that meets with both in one if ●●ch vices creepe into a Court the Court creeps out of honour by it But God be thanked here is no such cause of Blastus to complaine in Artaxerxes evill Court Nehemiah he was good in Ahashuerus evill Court Mordecay he was good in Herods evill court why might not Blastus here be good Doth not our Saviour say Blessed are the peace makers Mat. 5. thrice blessed then thou Blastus art thy feet more beautifull then others faces are because thou bringest tidings of glad peace that by thee the Tyrians dare to move what by themselves they never durst to doe conditions of peace And perswading Blastus who was of the Kings Chamber they desired peace A friend at Court is worth a Kingdome at ones neede the Kingdome of Tyre and Sidon and more then that he is worth the saving of ten thousand soules rivers of blood and most abhorred death had likely been the end of all if Blastus had not interceded for them How much more good may Courtiers do then men of meaner place if they would imploy their utmost power The Tyrians they had lost their lives and Herod he had been the more condemned if Blastus had

come all away make up the Quire higher and higher sing prayses unto God untill he find himselfe well pleased with gentle thankes for such his more then gentle favor unto all in giving Kings and times of peace And you sweet sister Church of Tyre and Sidon that doe border neere whose land is nourisht partly by the Kings keepe this day sacred with our selves make up the Quire higher and higher sing praises unto God until he find himself wel pleased with more then humble thankes for such his more then gentle favour to you all in giving you so gratious a neighbour King a King of peace No fuming Herod no froward Rehoboam He no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no war-braind man but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man whose wisedome studies nothing more then how he may make peace As his Father was so is hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peace maker with all kingdomes round about and why But that every one may enjoy your owne sweet pleasurable peace at home Were there a King of alchimy the warres would eat him up could all your braziers turne their pewter into gold yet the warres would eat them up nay were all your faces as hard as adamant it selfe yet the warres would bruise them to pieces like a potters vessell Your rings and jewels your silkes and amorous tokens your chaines of gold and books of rare delight nay your religion it selfe and all would be made but a speedy prey unto the bloody foe Now silver flocks of sheep and smoother heards of cattell your generous horses and your palaces of State troopes of revenues and curiosities of wares your religion and the very love of God himselfe they are all your owne because yee enjoy Kings and times mediators of your peace Great is the blessing of peace amongst us oh that our praises were as great as it Wonder many doe that of all nations we should enjoy such peace wonder should I as well as they if there were not an haereditary benediction in it for of peaceable parents do peaceable children proceed as his father was so is he a man of peace nay a maker of peace Doe we attribute it then altogether to the race not so neither but chiefly unto God the giver both of the race and peace a race may faile but never God! Cease wee to wonder then the God of peace doth love our land and therefore blesseth us with Kings and times of peace no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is our King Let us in thankfulnesse live peaceably at home love we our neighbours as Christ the King of peace loved us have peace with all men as much as in us lyes not for the belly sake as the Tyrians with King Herod had but for our Saviours sake who would wee should have peace with all He is worse then Herod that will not entertaine a peace when faire conditions offer to him he is worse then a Tyrian that will not seeke for peace when as the Kings displeasure is proclaimed against all that bring disturbance to the Church or State and when as nor they nor we can long be nourisht without the pleasure of the King For he is a King of peace and thereby doth most justly intitle himselfe unto a kingdome greater then our owne For the most Christian King is he who imitateth most our Saviour Christ who is the prince of peace For so suffered he the tares among the wheat till harvest come the ripenesse of season that shall root out all Yet if any offended have there be many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neare and deare unto the King many gentle mediators that will procure their peace Or if you will not render thankes to God because you enjoy the blessing of such a King or because your mediators are as good as Blastus was yet render thanks because your land more happy is then was the Tyrian and Sidonian soile You are not nourisht by other countries so much as they by you they send to calk your ships you feed their bowels with the finest wheat Their silkes and stuffes may please you well but never nourish you so much as your owne warme native cloth can do the enliving restaurative of decaying heat Their fruits and spices please your tast but wholesome juycie meat engenders purer blood to nourish any body then all their spices doe and in such meate doth our Kingdome most copiouslie abound above them all Therefore render praise to God For there the emphasis is at nourishing not at pleasing your kingdome is pleased but it is not nourisht by any other kingdome so much as by your owne Therefore render thankes to God and please your owne King you are in better case then ever the Tyrians and Sidonians were Some if they durst would say what need this pleasing of him Yes die power most justly is in him Among the Romanes two of the aediles might export their corne as they thought fit but with us the command is altogether in one mans hands and so he may undoe a forreiner and pleasure his owne without controle whensoever he shall please Wherefore seeing his providence hath given you good liberty to use worthily and wisely do you enjoy your peace least falling into the power of cruell men with doubtfull sighes and groanes in vaine yee often doe desire the liberty you lost But if with prudence and thanksgiving you receive the present peace you doe invite the Lord to give you greater joy Nor Origens sepulcher nor Caracalla's tombe nor many a future monument beside had ever so famous been at Tyre if thus they had not well preserved their peace Wherefore give thanks for the Churches and the Kingdomes peace they shall prosper that love them both So much of the Laudative The Instructive shall conclude Though your Country be nourisht by no other earthly princes land yet by the King of heavens country it is take heed then how ye displease that King the King of heaven and earth the King of kings and God of gods the super-supreme commander of all things for by his countrey wee are nourisht every one as how or why Heaven and earth are all his countrey the sea and all to blast to blight to burne to drowne or how hee please But how should wee displease him then or who knowes that he is displeased O the question The plague continues blew amongst us the famine hath begun to whet her hungrie teeth the Cataracts of heaven are let loose drie aries into watry pisces changed the ransome of a King into the subjects ruine for military March is made a standing poole All these are more then signes that the King of kings is highly displeased with us and doe you aske then who knowes that he is displeased with us or what the cause is that hee is displeased doe you aske When as our sinnes so superabundant are what marvell if he drowne your corne with immoderate showres in the field to punish those

that drowne their braines with immoderate drinking in the house What marvell if he suffer wheat to be miscaried at sea to punish those by land that misimploy their wheate What wonder if he destroy all nourishment of corne rather then it should nourish a company of vagrant impes that nothing but travell from signe to sign and never scarce received the Sacrament in all their lives What wonder if he raise the price of corne to punish those that raise the price of rents and wares In summe what marvell if our corne faile us when wee faile God in the good employment of our corne Among a thousand of those miscreants scarce one will speak twelve syllables of grace in thankes to God for the greatest meale or other plenty that ever he received but sweare forswear curse steale riot and domineere under every baser signe as if they were the onlie men by whom the King and kingdome did subsist whereas indeed they are a dishonor to the King confusion to the kingdom the off-scowring both of men beasts and the very scumme of all the land I feare there are some thousands of those Aegyptian beggars that never were baptized So that drunkennesse gluttony fraud covetisme the unworthy receiving or not receiving of the Sacraments and a million more are all in cause why God denies this fruitfull alimonie which formerlie he gave And doe we then aske what is the cause when as our sinnes so superabundant are Beleeve not me but S. Basil and the word of God it selfe Deut. 28.23 Basil Hom. 7. to 1. The heavens are turned to brasse because our foreheads are and the earth to iron because our selves are iron-hearted both toward God man There is no purenesse in the heavens because there is no purenesse in our lives in the cloudes we walk and in the cloudes we speake by darknesse of cariage and by mistinesse of words men doe obscure the very elements of Justice as the cloudes doe them by non-baptising water is the seed of the unbaptised most justly deprived of harvest seed The nature of their sinnes hath changed the very nature of the yeare The burthen of sinnes hath taken the burthen of sheaves away last yeare the windinesse of faith and lightnesse of religion hath made a light harvest amongst us and this yeare as if the cloudes were conjured all together to do a mischiefe to us what a deluge have they threatned us of late And how shall we appease this hungry anger of our God saith zealous Saint Basil in the forecited place You know what will offend him well enough and what will please him too yee know Will any wise man then provoke a Princes wrath decline it rather he should as mariners doe a storme Procul à love fulminibus live farre from offending Jupiter or else he wil thunderbolt you unto death how much farther then from provoking the God of Iupiter will any man digge for wilde fire with a sword the word is too light will any man digge for hell-fire by such an high provoking of his God If not then leave all well knowne rude notorious sinnes Did the Idolatrous dedicat a part to forrein Saints did the drunkard to his folly the wanton to his lust the witches to the Devill himselfe give the dedication of the last yeares corne therefore this yeare they shall have none to eate themselves unlesse they leave these provocations and dedicate all to God to grace and vertuous actions of the State God will consume both the corne and them Curse nothing either of your owne or others least God bring a curse upon you and the whole land for it Blot out the names of greivous usurers out of your townes the earth shall yeeld you the greater usurie of corne Drunkards theeves oppressors be they never so great let them be of small estimation with you poore widowes fatherlesse or whatsoever else let them be of small or no reputation unlesse they be godlie poorer especially the Aegyptian troopes of unbaptized vagrants that are borne no man knowes where Poore soules how might they live in happinesse againe if corne were but as cheape as once it was But they offer scorne and abuse both to God and man so soone as ever things are cheape nay to this very houre they boast that they can make bread of beanes of acornes nay of knots of strawes rather then they will starve O miserable what if they can will they therefore provoke the Lord can they make bread of iron or drink of brasse If not be still then and know that the God of Scripture will be true and if you still proceed to challenge him by such epidemicall sinnes as hitherto yee have he will turne your heavens to iron your earth to brasse Deut. 28.23 And as soon shall Dives make Lazarus bring him water to coole his tongue in hell as you shall make drinke enough of brasse to quench your dropsey thirst Yee Nobles and rich men of the land if poore men will not reclaime themselves yet doe yee arise and goe to God for peace You are all nourisht by the King of heavens country aswell as they nay more then they by how much more you doe enjoy But you think you have not so much need as they yes I will shew you how the curse will light on you though they unworthy be for with greater freedome might you eat if plenty were on all but now not so the want of others redounds as sinne to you as Lazarus to Dives did Besides consider well how honourable a blessing to your Kingdome it were to live in peace with God and plenty among all how dangerons if otherwise Famine of all humane calamities the chiefe doth mischiefe that which swords and shipping could never spoile and though your enemies seeme to sleepe a while as Herod did conceale his lurking spleen till famine had circumvented them of Tyre but when dearenesse of corne arose then arose his wrath and what by sea he never durst by famine now he dares to doe in threatning them a warre so will your enemies do to you thereaten and conquer too if the King of heaven withdraw his nourishing hand T is not the poore but rich mens goods they seeke and rich and poore and all must yeeld when famine comes Publique necessity hath no law but to the Lawgivers mercy onely must it sue for conditions of peace because your Countrey is in all things nourisht by the King of heavens countrey Rich and poore unlesse wee be foolisher then the Tyrians were with feathered and solicitous speed should we this day procure our peace from God they theirs from Herod but a mortall man because their country was nourisht by Herods countrey and is not ours much more by Gods nor can we any way endure his offended ire blast us by warre blast us by famine by spungie clouds and by tempestuous haile by scorching summers and snowie winters hee may empoverish us how and when he please though warre do not arise yet if he do but with-hold his nourishing hand within a yeare or two wee shall be utterlie undone because our Countrie in everie thing is nourisht by the King of Heavens Countrie therefore by all the meanes of Christendome let us solicite our peace with Him the King of Kings and God of Gods Sea Land Aire Waters Windes Starres Angels good and bad are all at his command submit to him as the Tyrians to King Herod did confesse he hath beene more gracious to us then ever wee to him be heartily sorrowfull for everie transgression that is past fast and lament for offending him that fasted fortie daies for you and when you fast give a charitable part of that you spare unto the poore least otherwise it bee thought you fast to save charges more then save your soules henceforward drinke for strength and not for wantonnesse for hunger eat and not for lust correct the rudenesse both of your owne and others sinnes in everie thing give thankes to God performe himdaylie service for whatsoever you enjoy blesse everie thing yee do converse withall live sweeter newer fresher in graces then the spring it selfe in flowers is suppose God be displeased more then Herod was he wil be easier pleased too joyne wee all with one accord as here the Tyrians did go all to Blastus make him the mediator of our peace If any man have sinned we have an advocate with the Father saith S. Iohn Wee have a Blastus saith Esay germen de radice Iesse a branch of the root of Jesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lordlie Blastus indeed Mediator both for Church and Common wealth there is one neare and deare enough unto the King of Heaven himselfe who is gone before to make our peace to prepare our severall mansions and gently to usher us into the presence Chamber of the great King even Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for all our sinnes goe all with one accord to him the prayers of a Kingdome shall be sooner heard then of a single man beseech him humbly to mediate all your peace t is all but one the forgivenesse of sinnes You therefore for me and I for you and each and all for one another make supplication unto him so to pacifie his fathers ire so to enwise and envertue us all with future grace that wee never may offend him or his Father any more because our Kingdome is nourished in every particular by the King of Heavens Country To the same God the Father and his only Sonne Iesus Christ and to the holy Ghost bee all honor glory world without end Amen FINIS