Selected quad for the lemma: prince_n
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A13234
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A briefe treatise declaring the true noble-man, and the base vvorldling. By Walter Sweeper minister of Strowd
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Sweeper, Walter.
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1622
(1622)
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STC 23526; ESTC S113865
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26,597
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53
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as we learne from Christ Luke 14.7 both teaching inward humilitie and outward courtesie in not seeking the highest place at feasts thereby to preserue our credit Now in the perswading to true holinesse and righteousnesse the holy Ghost vseth these two chiefe motiues First he sheweth the excellencie of the knowledge and feare of God in it owne nature Secondly the good effect of it making the godly and righteous truly happie as in this my text the righteous Zadick righteousnes is either attributed to God as he is in himselfe simply iust and infinitely good Math. 19.17 so in the Angels song Isay 6.3 he is proclaimed thrice Holy rather to proue his infinite holinesse then the trinitie of the persons Secondly righteousnesse is applied to God because he doth impute vnto vs Christs righteousnes Rom. 10.3.26 2. Cor. 5.21 Secondly Christ our Mediator is called Gods righteous seruant Isay 53.2 and Zach 9.9 Sions righteous King and Acts 4.27 Gods righteous Child the immaculate Lambe of God 1. Pet. 1.19 Thirdly the Angels and soules in heauen are called holy and iust Math 25.31 Heb. 12.23 But my text speaketh not of these but of a righteous man in this life excelling his wicked neighbour And the truly conuerted Christian is called righteous First in regard of Christs righteousnesse imputed to him Isay 50.8 He is neere that doth iustifie me He doth iustifie the wicked Rom. 3.26 who being iust by faith liueth Rom. 1.17 Secondly we are iust in regard of infused graces and renewed obedience And the word righteousnesse ioyned with holinesse is strictly taken for the duties of the second Table Luk. 1.74 Seruing God in holiness and righteousnesse Sometimes it signifieth both pietie and charitie yea all the duties of the first and second Table so Noah is called righteous Genes 6.9 Of both these righteousnesses first Christs imputed and ours wrought by Gods Spirit and word faith is an instrument for Rom. 1.18 The iust by faith liueth and Acts 15.9 The Gentiles heart was purified by faith and Acts 26.18 They are also sanctified by faith in Christ â—ather commeth of a verbe sometime signifying to abound so the French hath it A plus de resie and the note is more liberall in gifts but the clause following ouerthroweth this sence Sometime it signifieth to remaine Eccles 1.13 Mahijthron What remaineth Iunius hath it What profit is there of all the labours But in my text it signifieth to excell as Gen. 49.3 iether seeth veiethur gnazi Excellencie of dignitie and my strength altogether thou shalt not be excellent The last word reugth signifieth a friend a companion but here a neighbour A man iustified by faith sanctified by Gods Spirit is more excellent then his wicked neighbour You shall haue the sence of the other clause hereafter My text containeth in it two propositions first The righteous man is more excellent then his wicked neighbour The second The prosperous way of the wicked maketh him to erre both in iudgement and in course of life The first proposition teacheth Doctr. that An holy and religious man truly fearing God by the sentence of God and iudgement of the Church is more excellent then his irreligious neighbour though neuer so great in the eye of the world More briefly these two Doctrines First The godly man is truly honorable Secondly The wicked man is truly base That this may not seeme like some of Tullies paradoxes affirming that the wise man is only free the wise man is onely rich let vs first heare what God saith to the commendation of the righteous what in the second place he speaketh to the disgrace of wicked men and note here with me that here is the figure Meiosis lesse spoken then is meant For the Scripture here intendeth that the child of God is truly honorable and the childe of the diuell truly base like to that phrase Eccles 13. Wisedome excelleth folly as light excelleth darknesse Light is good darknesse naught so wicked men are base godly men are honorable In Isay 4.5 the Lord promiseth a couering defence to all the glorie that is emphatically to all the glorious people of God Honorable things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God Psa 87.3 The beleeuers true worshippers of God are called Gods secret ones Psal 83.3 Gods people are termed Se gullah Gods choise and chiefe treasure Exo. 19.5 and Laos periousios A peculiar people Tit. 2.14 The Bereans gladly entertaining the Gospel are styled Eugenesteroi more honorable then others that did not so readily receiue the word Acts 17.2 There are threescore Queenes and fourescore concubines and virgins without number My Doue my vndefiled is but one the onely one of her mother she is the choise one of her that bare her the daughters saw her and blessed her yea the Queenes and concubines praised her Cant. 6.8 Now this that is spoken of the whole Church and Spouse of Christ must be vnderstood of the glorious estate of euery holy beleeuer who excelleth in vertue and is a true Saint here on earth Psal 16.2 And for this cause glorification signifieth both present holinesse and future glorie Rom. 8.39 This causeth the Spirit of God to preferre a poore childe walking in vprightnesse before an old vnwise King Eccles 4.13 But when he that ruleth ouer men is iust and ruleth in the feare of God as Dauid did 2. Sam. 23.3 then he is in honour another Solomon 1. King 3.13 who had not his peere for true honour all his dayes of whose royaltie Christ speaketh Mat. 6.33 When a King reigneth in righteousnesse and Princes rule in iudgement Isay 32.1 when the King is the son of Nobles and Princes eate in due time for strength and not for drunkennesse Eccles 10.17 then the land is not onely blessed but these great men may truly be styled as Abraham was by the Hittite mightie Princes yea the Princes of God after the Scripture phrase Gen. 23.6 Now the great Magor the great Turk the Cham of Tartarie with the rich Chinaes liuing in Heathenisme disgracefully thinking and speaking of our truly noble Christian Princes vnder the name of pettie Princes of Christendome are like Nabal who according to his name was a foolish base creature and yet could speake basely of Dauid Who is the sonne of Ishai 1. Sam. 25.10 The vassals also of Antichrist can write and speake disgracefully of Gods annointed ones who haue shaken off the Popes yoke like Shimei who to our Dauids are but dead dogs 2. Sam. 16.7 8 9. As righteous Lot was more worthy then all Sodom 2. Pet. 3.7 as Lazarus his estate was better then rich Diues Luk. 16.22 23. yea Iohn Baptist in prison more happie then incestuous Herod Mark 6.20 so still are Gods children more honorable then the diuels To conclude therefore the first kinde of proofe drawne from the consent of the Scripture and to hasten to variable arguments drawne out of the Scripture let all men know that the true knowledge and feare of God bringeth credit
vnto it and are safe Pro. 18.10 As the mountaines compasse Israel so the Lord is round about his people for euer Psal 125.2 God is in the midst of the Church therefore it shal not fall Psal 46.5 Behold the eyes of the Lord are vpon them that feare him and such as trust in his mercie to deliuer their soules from death and keepe them aliue in famine Psal 33.18 19. yea his eares are open to their crie and so he deliuereth them out of many afflictions Psal 34.15 19. He deliuereth his out of sixe troubles and the seuenth shall not hurt them Iob 5.19 He is a wall of fire about his and he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Zac. 3.5 Notable is Ierusalems deliuerance from Zenacheribs rage 2. King 19.34 and notable was Constantinoples deliuerance from the barbarous Gohists Arian Gaynes in Chrysostomes time as the Church story telleth vs also by our like miraculous deliuerance from the gun-powder treason it appeareth that he that dwelleth in the secret place of the Highest abideth vnder the shadow of the Almightie Psal 91.1 God the Father especially committeth the safe keeping of his Church to our Captaine Christ Iesus Ios 5.14 Thus Christ looked out of the pillar of fire and troubled the Egyptian hoast Exod. 14.24 This Angell of Gods presence Isay 63.9 of the Couenant Mal. 3.1 conducted Israel through the wildernesse into Canaan Exod. 33.1 2. This our Michael and great Prince shall stand vp for his people either in Antiochus his time as Iunius or in Antichrist and the Turks time as Graserius and others thinke Dan. 12.1 He alwayes walkes in the midst of the golden candlesticks Reu. 2.1 Christs vineyard which is his owne is euer before him Cant. 8.12 He watereth it euery moment and keepeth it day and night Isay 27.2 3. Next to Christ consider the Angels vnder God and Christ our protectors The Angell of the Lord incampeth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them Psal 34.7 He giues his Angels charge to carrie vs in their hands in all our wayes Psal 91.11 Our Angels do alwayes behold the face of our heauenly Father at his becke to come to our succour Mat. 18.10 All these are ministring spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be heires of saluation Heb. 1.14 Not now visibly appearing to teach as before Christs time nor visibly to assist vs as when they met Iacob Gen. 32.1 2. to encourage him against his brother Esaw for which their seruice the place was rightly called Mahanaim camps that the Archangell Christ for a time taking vp the bodie of a man wrestled with Iacob Genes 32.24 when the place was called Peniel the face of the strong God These Angels seeing our conuersion do reioyce Luk. 15.10 wondring at the manifold wisedome of God Eph. 3.10 do with bended knee prie into the mysterie of the Gospel 1. Pet. 1.12 As they comforted Christ after his temptations and an Angell did strengthen Christ in his agonie Luk. 22.43 so Angels may assist vs in our corporall and spirituall combats Ephes 6.12 Solomons night-guard of threescore the most valiant men in Israel not like these Cant. 3.7 One prayer of Christ drew more then twelue Legions of these heauenly souldiers presently at once euery Legion did amount to about 7000. of horse and foote Math. 26.53 When one Angell could destroy in one night one hundred foure score and fiue thousand 2. King 19.35 When Elisha had prayed his man could see mountains full of horses and chariots of fire 2. Kin. 6.17 Lastly God giueth to his Church children Princes in all lands Psal 45.16 who by their lawes and swords defend the Church and therefore are called nursing fathers Isay 49.23 who by Gods appointment are a terror to the wicked not to the godly Rom. 13.3 Though sometimes Nimrod be a mightie hunter before the Lord Gen. 10.9 and some by the spoile of nations get them wealth and honour Isay 10.7 Foure great beasts Dan. 7.3 4. out of the last beast arose the double furious beast Antichrist rising from the salt Clergie to his spirituall power and earthly temporaltie to his temporall estate Reu. 13.1.13 This was onely to punish the sinnes of the Church The end of true magistracie from God is that the Church vnder them may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie 1. Tim. 2.2 The seuenth argument to proue the godlies dignitie Reason 7 is drawne from their honorable seruices done for God and his people the noble conquests they get where their renowned trophees are erected and doe ride in triumph in the tongues of good men Thus the remnant of Iacob in the middest of many people become as the dewes from the Lord as the rain on the grasse Mica 5.7 These men sometime subdue kingdomes waxe valiant in fight and turne to flight the armies of the alients Heb. 11.33 34. Thus Abraham with his trained or catechized souldiers destroyed foure Kings and deliuered Lot Genes 14.14 Thus Iosua discomfiteth Amalek with the edge of the sword Ios 17.9 What shall I speake of Barak and Debora of Zebulum and Nepthalim that ieoparded their liues in the high places of the field Iudg. 5.18 What shall I speake of Gedeon destroying the Kings of Midian Iudg. 7. and 8. of Sampson Iudg. 14.15.16 of Dauid 2. Sam. 8. Iehosaphat 2. Chron. 20.24 What shall we say of the poore wise man which by his wisedome deliuereth a city Eccles 9.15 What shall wee say of Constantine Christs Generall in the Churches warre who destroyed Dioclesian Maximianus Maxentius and Licinnius making them by his sword to flie from the feare of the Lambe Reuel 6.15.16 whom Brightman supposeth to be that child Reuel 12.5 who did bind the Dragonish pagan Emperours Reuel 20.1 2. What shall I say of Theodosius who slue the two tyrants Maximius and Eugenius who had before killed Valentinians two sonnes to whom the Poet Claudian singeth O nimium dilecte Deo Oh greatly beloued of God whom the winds did serue in his warres Let Belizarius Virigâ—s Zisca the Bohemian scourge of the Pope Iohannes Huniades Scanderbeg be remembred our martiall Elizabeth the hammer of the Pope and Papists and ancient Effleda Merciorum Domina the whipper of the Heathenish Danes Sed omnes non possumus esse Scipiones aut Maximi All cannot be Scipioes or Maximesses but yet they can by prayer with Moses preuaile against Amalek Exod. 17.12 and with the same Moses stand in the gap to turne away wrath from Israel psal 106.23 The good man in a generall corruption of manners maketh vp the hedge by his prayers Ezek. 22.30 Also this righteous mans lips by wholesome exhortations feeds many Pro. 13.21 For this cause Elisha calleth Elias The charets and horsmen of Israel 2. Ki. 2.13 and King Ioash weeping on Elishas face a dying calleth him his Father calling him also the charets and horsemen of Israel 2. Kin. 13.14 These men fight against the diuell the world Ephes