Selected quad for the lemma: prince_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prince_n	great_a	king_n	noble_n	2,602	5	9.8143	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86930	The magistrates charge, for the peoples safetie. Laid open in a sermon, preached before the right Honorable House of Peeres, in the Abbey Church at Westminster, at their late solemne monthly fast, May 26. 1647. / By William Hussey, Minister at Chesilhurst in Kent.	Hussey, William, minister of Chiselhurst.	1647 (1647)	Wing H3818; Thomason E389_7; ESTC R201521	33,273	53

as are called Princes of the Bakers and Princes of Solomons worke Gen. 40 2. 1 King 9.22 his buildings and provisions for his house these are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the second verse of this Psalme Pagnin are translated Rulers such as had the next degree to the Kings cheife Councellours of State Comites Imperii Barones Lafords Thanes men of valour and judgement Pillers of the Crowne whose duty was to preserve the King both in peace and war from miscariages and dishonour by punishing them in judgement that shall misguide the King or act any thing against Law by any surreptitious Warrants or Commissions from his Majesty or transgresse their lawfull Commissions to the wrong and injury of the people these had a principall hand in the making of Lawes By me Kings raigne and Princes decree Justice Prov 8.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the men that were mentioned in the second verse but in the words of my Text they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges and therefore it may be doubtfull whether they be the same men which did consult in the second verse which are here charged in the words of my Text but I conceive they were the same for these reasons 1. Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be ascribed to the highest Judges in the world to absolute Princes to Moses Exod. 18.16 to God himselfe Gen. 18.25 and that is to let us understand that these chiefe Rulers that consulted with the Kings had a place of judicature that if any thing escape them in consultation that might be mended in judicature 2. Those Rulers that were mentioned in the second verse were guilty of the crime which is here charged to be amended and therefore it is most rationall they should be called to repentance 3. If Kings Rulers and People should once joyne together and make a Law against God and Christ it were an hard matter for an inferiour Judge to amend it It is true they may Judge against it but it would be carried on by the appeale unlesse it be reformed in the suprcame Court where the errour first began and so the wrath of God remaine unappeased Thus you see who these Kings and Judges were in all probability they were severall Kings of severall Nations consulting with their owne Nobles and People against God and Christ that are here called upon to repent of their wicked Decrees and Lawes that they had made against him so that my Doctrine doth now appeare under this forme of words If any thing doth slip in consultation with publique consent of Kings Nobles and People against God and Christ the charge doth lie upon Kings and Judges to amend it But here arise three scruples how it should come to passe that when Kings Object Rulers and People were guilty the Kings and Rulers are called to repentance and the people left out what will God be content to spare a Nation if Kings and Rulers repent though the people go on still in their iniquity I answere in respect of temporall punishment Ans It may be sometimes he will if God would spare Sodome for ten why may he not spare a people for their Kings and Rulers If he will plague Israel for Davids numbring the people why may he not save a people as he did for Moses sake but alwaies he doth it not The reformation of Kings and Nobles is a great meanes to reforme the people but if notwithstanding their Reformation the people remaine wilfull their judgement doth often fall the more heavy even in this life as may appeare 2 Kiv. 23.25 26. Josiah a most pious and holy Prince yet God reserved evill to bring upon the Jew●s for that they did not reforme The Prophet rendreth a reason Ier. 3.10 Her treacherous sister Judah did not turne to me with all her heart but fainedly Josiah caused them to turne in shew but it was in hypocrisie though their hypocrisie was none of Josiahs fault but their owne 2. But here ariseth yet a second scruple how it should be in the power of Kings and Nobles to amend that which is done amiss● by Kings Nobles and people is it in their power not to put that in execution which is made into a Law Yes if against God and Christ if against the Law of God Gods Lawes have the force of an universall Law unto which humane positive Lawes must give way lex particularis cedit universali mans Law is void Doctor and Student if against Gods Law 3. But here will be a breach betweene these that shall so judge the King and Nobles and the people Object if that be adjudged against the Law of God which is newly received for an humane Law and therefore this doth put Kings and Nobles into streights Ans This must not be carryed with an high hand as an act of power but prudently as an act of wisdome so as God may not be provoked and dash you all in peeces nor the people neglected in the particular Covenant made with them They must wisely use meanes to revoke such Lawes as are made against God and Christ Yet by their wise and learned carriage give the people satisfaction This charge of bearing the Lawes the yoke and bonds of Christ is layd on Kings and Judges for foure reasons 1. Because they of all men are most inclinable to shake off the yoke of Christ Fabritius exhortatio ●llurecipue necessaria qus gradu pot●ntia inter honines em●nent non sacile se jugo Christs submittunt leges sibt prescribs ●nviti patiuntur Martinius chstat fastus us volunt emperitivideri quibu opus est institutione ill● quamvis de officio ●●format●onem eminentie suae authoritatis deformationem interpretantur great ones never thinke themselves great enough unlesse they be absolute unlesse they may act so as if they had no superiour to whom they must give an account That exhortation doth principally belong to them that are in Authority because they do not easily submit to the yoke of Christ they are unwilling to have any Lawes given them and the other Author Pride will not suffer them to receive any instruction because they will not seeme to be so unskilfull as to need instruction they thinke any information a staine to their Authority Such opposition against God and Christ hath beene found in all Ages from great ones Pharoah Exod 5 2. 2 King 8 33 who is the Lord that I should heare his voice Zenacherib hath any of the Gods of the Nations delivered his people on t my hands Ie● 2.3 wee are Lords wee will come no more unto thee Therefore doth the Lord cry out upon Kings and Princes and Judges of the earth that they should have speciall care to submit to the Government of Christ exclamations are used in plaine matters and matters of great weight It is no small matter for Kings and Nobles to shake

off the bonds of subjection to God and Christ Vossiu●in minuu cont-oversis 〈…〉 ex●a●●tio●e p●●● rile s●igidum looke to it Kings and Nobles Kings and Judges have a care of your charge or yee will be broken in peeces yee will provoke the Lord to anger and all your purposes frustrated and your persons destroyed you have a great inclination to forget me in regarde of your greatnesse therefore I charge you to beware 2. Reason God hath committed the care of his people to them that they should seeke their good he is the instrument of God for thy good Rom. 13.4 God doth not so set Kings and Princes over his people as to have no care of them himselfe But he committeth his people to them so that he looketh to them himselfe he giveth them their charge and taketh account of them because their inferiours cannot doe it so easily God doth charge the King himselfe Deut. 17.18 to have a care that he write him a booke of the Law He taketh account of the Princes of the wrong done to his peaple Esay 3.14 15. The Lord will enter into judgement with the Ancients and Princes for the wrong done to his people for yee have eaten up the Vineyeard and the spoyle of the poore is in your houses What meane you that yee beate my people to peeces and grinde the faces of the poore doe you thinke I will take no account of this will you be broken in peeces with the iron rod It belongeth to God as supreame to redresse all the abuses of the most absolute Princes and Magistrates on the earth Appeales come to him like the cry that came from Sodome no miscarriages shall escape him 2 Cron. 16● The eyes of the Lord run too and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of him whose heart is perfect towards him And therefore doth the Prophet David appeale to God Psal 82.8 Arise O God and judge thou the earth if men will not the Lord of Hoasts will his Hoasts shall 3. God doth especially charge Princes with their duty of subjection because they have a great influence upon the people 2 King 10.31 especially to evill Jereboam the Son of Nebat made Israel to sin if Princes Kings and Judges be wicked they shall not want instruments to forward their wickednesse 2 Cron. 21.3.6 4. If David will have the people numbred Joab will act it though against conscience he said why will the King be a cause of trespasse and in 6 verse the Kings word was abhominable to Joab yet in 4 verse the Kings word prevailed with Joab Dan. 3. If Nebuchadnezzar set up a Golden Image none are found that withst and it but Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Esay 9.16 the leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are led by them are destroyed Therefore God chargeth Kings with their duty for the safety of his people 4. If sins be committed as long as Kings and Princes execute judgement the wrath of God is appeased toward that Nation Numb 35.33 Blood defileth the Land and it cannot be purged but by the hand of him that flew Phinehas hath turned my wrath away from the Children of Israel Numb 25.11 then stood up Phinchas and executed judgement and so the plague ceased Psal 106.36 Vse 1 Information that Kings and Nobles are neerely linked together in the government of Nations God doth not charge Kings alone but Kings and Judges Kings and Nobles the businesse of Governement is to weighty to be undergon by one man alone There are two speciall duties of a King the duty of war and the duty of peace in both which he must necessarily have the assistance of Nobles Let all Histories be examined and yee shall see that in getting and governing of Kingdomes Nobles and Worthies had an especiall hand in raising Armies in managing Battles in judging the people Moses was weary of judging alone though the people over whom he ruled had been slaves he had beene the instrument of their delivery and God did appeare to and for him upon all occasions therefore if any man might governe alone Moses might doe it by such speciall assistance of God but when Iethro saw Moses sitting in judgement alone Exod. 18.17 he was plaine with him and told him the thiug was not good and advised him to take helpe or else he must needes tyre out himselfe and the people Againe in stilling the rage of the people the assistance of Nobles hath beene alwaies needfull Kings desiring all power into their owne hands make themselves unable to keepe their owne Courts from oppressing their Subjects or content their people by meanes whereof people have often beene inraged against their Governours Numb 11 1● Moses complained to God that the people murmured against him that he was not able to beare their murmurings and of the danger he was in desiring God to kill him that he might not see his wretchednesse that is that the people might not fall upon him in a m●●●rable manner and destroy him D●● dat For the remedy of which evill the Lord prescribeth this vers 16. gather together seventy men of the Elders of the people whom thou knowest to be Elders and Officers over them and bring them to the Tabernacle of the Congregation and they shall stand there with thee these were the Officers that the Lord appointed to assist Moses in time to come against the rebelli● the people these Moses must gather togather in the great Counsell where yee may see of what number and sort of men these must be they must be seventy a set number not too many for feare of diffention not too few for feare of partiality yee may further see what manner of men they must be Officers over the people before they were called to the great Counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Icrom Jerom calleth them prafectos qui docerent ves singula and the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magistres Indicibus vestris Masters of your Judges Implying that these that sat in this high Counsell to helpe Moses against the commotions of the people must be high in the peoples estimation and must have the power of the sword in their owne hands in their severall Tribes whereby they might execute their judgements and by their authority stop the rage of the people Without power all judgements were fruitlesse and voyd Tollet de cas 〈◊〉 lib 5. cap 56. J●d●n habeat petellatem 〈…〉 formam vi●● Iudge Dodrig●●itle Earl● to what end were judgements if the Judges had not power to put their judgment into execution and therefore in this Kingdome had Earles the third part of their Counties to make them high in the eyes of the people they were great Commanders c●●es and c●●itatus were relatives every County h●d an Earle and no more and Barons had their Baronies honorable revenue and

men the advice to Kings is to understand their owne condition in reference to Christ If any strive with Christ for prerogative it is likely to be Kings many Kings have usurped such power over the people of God as is due only to Christ nay few men of power have rightly understood their owne condition in reference to Christ which thing is here required of Kings least they be broken in peeces That Kings and all such as act as Kings in the execution of humane Law Doct. must understand what their owne condition is in respect of Christ and act according to that understanding That is they must firmely adheare to this as an undeniable principle that they must receive the Gospel as the commands of Christ so as Christ doth require them without any limitations restraints or circumstances arising from their own wills Now for the rule of our understanding the principles of Christianity are contained in the word of God by which wee must regulate all our knowledge as it is speculative Thomas Aquin. 22.47 6. 〈◊〉 habet in operabilibus sicut princeptum in speculativis what Principles are to our understanding that ought to be our end in practice so wee must make it the end of all our actions to walke by Principles contained in the word of God what is grounded on the word of God that wee must firmely adheare to in matters of Religion we must take all argumments that are against Scripture from nature bonum publicum advancement of the Gentry freedome of the Subject honour of the Lords prerogative of the King to be the sophistications I told you of against which Kings ought to confirme themselves by continuall meditation on the word of God and actuall consideration of of their owne condition in respect of Christ Reasons why Kings and such as act by supreame Authority must know that Christ is their King as indeed he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6 15. and act as his Subjects Nay their Lord and they must obey his commands as comming from his will without any concurrence of our wills are three First the commands of Christ have the sanction or penalty of eternall condemnation annexed to them that shall be inflicted on the transgressors which no power on earth can resist the power and strength of any Authority is in the sanction where men can ratifie commands with small penalties the transgression is lesse terrible and the command lesse absolute therefore is the power of a King nothing in comparrison of Christs Feare not him that can kill the body Luk. 12.4 and after that hath no more that he can doe but Christ can doe more he can render vengeance in flaming fire on them that knowe not God and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1.8.9 who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord See men must obey the Gospel of God or suffer eternall punishments and this reacheth to Kings as well as others this Gospell must be obeyed it is the command of Christ Mat. 28 ●0 goe teach whatsoever I command you Secondly Kings must know themselves absolutely under the commands of Christ because he can execute his owne Lawes by his owne power if he could not execute his Lawes without the consent of Kings then their consent were necessary but he doth not governe as the Kings of the earth doe by a consenting partie having no naturall but morall power over their wills they can incline them by acts of love and with the helpe of the consenting party move the dissenting by acts of terrour Pro. 14.28 In the multitude of the people is the Kings honour his power is naturally resident in their persons politiquely in their union that is kept and preserved by Lawes prudentially by his virtuous adhearing and acting by those Lawes But God and Christ that sitteth at the right hand of God ruleth by his owne power as in the same argument it doth appeare the Psalmist doth not say he will bring Angels from Heaven though a few of them would quell all the power on earth but the Son shall doe it himselfe with the rod of iron in his owne hand and the Prophet telleth us his owne arme shall rule for him Esay 40.10 God can worke upon the hearts of men physice immediately upon the will and make them that worke deceitfully doe his worke Ier. 48 10. they that doe the worke of God deceitfully shall have a curse for their labour but the worke shall be done though they thinke not so God maketh them act what they meane not Esay 10 7. yea contrary to their meaning Thirdly Kings must understand their owne condition in relation to Christ that nothing of their owne will must enter into much lesse sway their actions of Religion if they doe sway their Religion by their owne wills their Religion then is nothing else but policy and that will make God angry laugh them to scorne disappoint their purposes and breake them in peeces I told you before that Christian Practice must make Christian Principles the ends of all their actions they must professe Religion to honour Christ and not themselves to doe the minde of Christ and not their owne wills it is plaine if once Princes use Religion to other ends then the glory of God they understand not what Religion is what Christ is what they are and then they may quickly anger him and ruine themselves He that sinneth against God wrongeth his owne soule Pro. 8 36. This was Jeroboams Religion when he was newly made King over ten Tribes by revolt from Rhehoboam 1 King 12.27 It was in commune bonum for the publique good of his Kingdome that his people should be kept from going up to Jerusalem to worship where Rhehoboam their former Lord from whom they had revolted reigned Jeroboam said they will kill me and returne to their Master all the world would have judged this a wise act in Jeroboam but by this meanes he changed the sacrifice and the Priesthood which was his ruine Jeroboam would make Religion stoope to his honour and safety and by it displeased God for which his Posterity was rooted out This was Absalons Religion 2 Sam. 15.7 he meant to get the Kingdome from his Father but asked his Father leave to pay his vow which he had vowed to the Lord in Hebron You see Absalon sought to promote himselfe under the pretence of Religion and prospered accordingly but I come to the Application Use of information that Kings that understand not themselves the servants of Christ are mistaken in their intellect though in respect of the goodnesse and kindnesse of God wee are brethren to Christ is friends and all favour is conferred on us yet must the greatest of the Princes of the earth acknowledge themselves so under him that his wrath kindled against them will be their destruction that their duty is to respect and