Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	call_v	church_n	holy_a	7,200	5	5.2401	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67550	The pious mans practice in Parliament time. Or A seasonable and necessary tractate concerning the presages, and causes of a common-wealths ruine, and the wayes, and meanes to preserve a church, and state, in prosperity, plenty, purity, and peace. By R. Ward, utriusque regni in Artibus Magister; and preacher of Gods holy word at Stansteed Mount-Fitchet in Essex.	Ward, Richard, 1601 or 2-1684.	1641 (1641)	Wing W804; ESTC R218413	102,562	298

serve them and answer them and speake good words to them then they will be thy servants for ever And the goodnesse of this counsell appeared by the event for the refusing to follow it and giving a rough and ragged answer unto the people ten of the twelve Tribes revolted and fell from him Agesilaus could say that Magistrate governes best in a Common-Wealth that governeth the subjects people under him as father his children I know that a good Magistrate may ought to be severe in punishing offenders reforming of vices but I conceive that he generally shall to most good in a Common-wealth which although he be not remisse in his calling or in the execution of his place yet doth rule and governe those who are under him with a gentle hand a mild and soft temper and a sweet government And therefore I place this particular also under the head Bene esse not Esse absolute And 4. 4 To be holy and religious If those who are in place of authority and government desire to doe good in their places to that Church and State wherein they live then it is very requisite that they should be holy upright unblameable and Pious And therefore that all Magistrates may be moved hereunto let them consider a particular or two namely 1. Mat. 5.14 That they are like Cities set upon a hill and consequently their sinnes can hardly be concealed but will easily be made conspicuous unto the world And therefore if Magistrates regard their owne reputation and credit they must labour to be religious immaculate and holy And 2. Let them remember that as of all sinnes theirs are seene soonest so of all sinnes theirs are the greatest because they are not onely hurtfull to themselves but to others also and that both in regard of their conversation and also of the administration of the Common-wealth That is if Magistrates be wicked they are both examples of wickednesse unto others and also for the most part doe obliquely governe the Common-wealth Now by the evill examples of superiours many are infected and mis-led as follows by and by and by the evill administration of the Common-wealth the whole body politicke is endangered and harmed ● Pro. 28.15 16 29 2 4. Pccle 10.16 Pharoah that wicked Aegyptian King hurt his people by his life in giving them an example of his disobedience and obstinacy and by his administration of the Common-wealth in uniustly oppressing the people of God Solomon infected his people by his life and manners in marrying so many Idolatrous wives and infected them by his administration of the State in introducing idolatry amongst them and so wee might instance also in Rehoboam and Ahab and others but I passe them by concluding this particular thus if Magistrates would not bee the worst of men nor the greatest of sinners nor of that number for whom the severest plagues and punishments are reserved then it concernes them and that not a little to labour to be pure and unspotted in the eyes of God and men And 3. Let all Rulers and governours remember that their lives being exemplary a godly conversation seene perceived in them will be an excellent meanes to make a good and godly Common-wealth Pittacus being asked which was a well and a right governed Common-wealth answered a cuius gubernaculis mali removentur that which keepes wicked men from all rule and governement and this answer was not given without iust cause the life of a Magistrate being the rules square frame and forme of an honest life according to the which subjects and inferiours frame their lives For although it was said of old Vivitur legibus non exemplis Men live by lawes not by examples yet now adayes people or subjects do rather take their patternes and examples from the lives of Princes and Magistrates then from their lawes as may appeare by an instance or two Fline lib. 18. Cap. 27. As the Hearbe Heliotropium doth alwayes looke towards the Sunne and when it it is hid doth gather in the flower so many yea the most looke unto Superiours and Rulers and addresse themselves to whatsoever they see them inclined Plato being broad-brested all his Scholers wore pillowes under their garments that they might seeme to be like him Aristotle stammered in his speech and therefore his Scholers would stut and stammer that they might be like their Master Because Ennius the Philosopher was so given to drunkennesse that he was seldome sober therefore his Pupils would goe reeling and staggering in the streets And therefore seeing subjects looke more to the lives then laws of Superiours if they desire that they may be well ordered under them they themselves must labour to be religious and holy yea as they exceed others in place and dignity so should they also in zeale and piety according to the saying of Alphonsus Panormit lib. 6. de rebus gestis Alphonsi Those Qui aliis praeessent tanto privatis hominibus meliores esse oportere quanto honoribus dignitate aneccellerent The greater that a Magistrate is in power above others the more ought hee in vertue to excell all others The King of Calecut is chiefe of his Religion and for this cause goeth before the other Kings of India in dignity and is called Samory that is to say God on earth And indeed if all amongst us would labour to excell others as farre in zeale vertue purity and Religion as they excell them in power and dignity and that the higher any one is either in Church or Commonwealth he were the more eminent and singular in godlinesse and grace then people would honour them as the Lords Vicegerents on earth and as earthly Gods and would strive to tread in their steps and be fearefull of doing what is evill lest they should thereby incurre wrath and punishment and consequently the common-wealth would quickly bee much reformed The stalke I know is a different thing from the graine of corne althoughit support it and beare it up and a Magistrate may be profitable to the Common-wealth and yet be no saint in life and therefore I put this particular also under the head Bene esse not Esse absolute But Omne tulit punctum That Magistrate who is a good Magistrate in regard of the Common-wealth and a good man yea a burning and shining lampe in himselfe shall have praise both with God and man and be profitable both to himselfe and others And therefore if we wish the peace aud prosperity of our Church and State then let us saithfully and fervently call upon our God that he would be pleased to enable all our Rulers and Governours to execute profitably and to discharge religously those places and offices wherein they are and to sanctify them by his only Spirit and to make them holy and lovers of goodnesse and good men and mild meeke and gentle in their government and rule And thus much for those duties which are required in Magistrates

appointed by him is observed by us namely 1 Cor. 12.15 when the hand doth not oppose the head nor the foot the hand nor these the belly but every member doth performe its owne office When the head hates not the members nor they the head but reciprocally seeke the good one of another then the body must needs be in good frame and temper But if the head looke upon the body as an enemie thereunto and the body behold the head with the like eye all the Microcosme and body must then needs be out of frame and miserably distempered And thus if Magistrates stand disaffected unto the people and looke upon them with all evill eye as strangers to their welfare and people on the other side conceit and disconceive of Magistaates as those who seeke to worke their woes and weave their ruine then nothing can be expected indeed but ruine and distruction on both parts But if the supreme and subordinate Magistrate looke upon the people as their body without which they cannot subsist and the people looke upon them as their head without which they could not be preserved in unity and order or freed from miserable confusion and both mutually seeke the honour pleasure profit and welfare if without obsurdity I may so speake our little Microscome or body of England will be in a happy and blessed health And 2. Subjects must be oedient and subject to Superiours and Governours because as the Apostle saith They are from God Rom. 13.2 that is he hath made them Magistrates and imprinted his stampe upon them and given their power and authority unto them according to our Saviours speech to Pilate Thou canst have no power over me except it be given thee from above Ioh. 19.11 And therefore as Saint Paul saith He that despiseth the power of Magistrats Rom. 13.4 despiseth the ordinance of God And 3. Subjects or people must be obedient and subject unto Superiours because as the Apostle saith they are ordained by God ser our Cicero are borne for themselves much lesse then Ki ngs or Magistrates for they are ordained for the people sake lest that we should be a flocke without a Shepherd which is a point next the worst as we see by Michajahes speech unto Ahab And therefore seeing they are the Lords Ministers and appointed by him in much mercy 1 Kin. 22.17 for our welfare and peace let us obey them and be subject unto them 1 Pet. 2.13 as unto the Ministers of God If any demand wherein our subjection unto Magistrates consists Quest I answer In these things to wit 1. Answer In reverence conjoyned with love we must honour those whom the Lord hath honoured and neither despise emulate or sleight them Wee must love them with our hearts and minds and honour and reverence them both in our words and workes Read to this purpose Exod. 20.12 Rom. 13.7 and 1 Peter 2.17 18. Exod. 22.28 Eccles 10.20 And 2. This obedience which wee owe unto Magistrates consists in the undertaking of just and lawfull warres for the defence of our Country or in assisting of our Magistrates in their warres undertaken for the defence of us and our Common-wealth against either foraine or domesticall foes And 3. Mat. 22.23 Rom. 13.6 This our obedience and subjection unto Magistrates consists in giving unto Cesar those things which are his and in paying unto Princes those duties tributes and customes which belong and are due unto them And 4. It consists in praying unto God for them but of this amply in text and last proposition And 5. It consists in obeying their commands statutes and lawes Here observe that commands and lawes o Magistrates are threefold to wit 1. Good simply or directly according to the word and will of God as when Magistrates in their lawes and statutes prohibit swearing stealing adultery and the like and command and enjoyne the carefull observation of the Lords day Now in these precepts there is no question but Magistrates ought to be obeyed because as the Lords Vicegerents they impose nothing upon us but the Lords owne yoke 2. Some Magistrates command things simply evill as to fall down before a false God Dan. 3. or not to fall downe and pray unto the true God Dan. 6. Now here there is no question neither because wee must rather obey God then man and therefore when mans mandats countermand the Lords wee must not then or therein obey him 3. Sometimes the Magistrate commands that which is adiaphorall and indifferent in it selfe as namely for some politike respects the Magistrate commands us to abstaine from flesh on Fridayes or in Lent when we may without any endangering of our health or the encurring of any eminent inconvenience Now this obedience mee thinks no Christian man should deny to any Christian Magistrate 4. 4. They must be at unity among themselves If people desire that this our Church and State may long stand and lastingly flourish then as they must be subject and obedient unto Magistrates so they must be at unitie and peace among themselves If one member should be at variance and hold warre with another how could the body subsist Now in this our Church and State we are or should be members of one and the same body Rom. 12.4 5 c. 1 Corinth 12.12 c. Ephes 5.29 and therefore we ought to hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace We in this Land all professe to have one Father and say we beleeve in one God and Father And one Mother saying we beleeve the Church to be holy wherein wee are regenerated and borne againe And we are fed with the same teates and nourished with the said food for our meat is the bodie of Christ which was given for us and our drinke is the blood of Christ which was shed for us and we all hope for one and the same inheritance saying wee beleeve life everlasting And therefore it is fit that wee should accord and agree among our selves and like brethren live together in unity which is a good and a pleasant thing and an excellent means to preserve in peace and plenty this our Common-wealth 5. And lastly if subjects desire that this our Church and State may long flourish in purity piety 4. They must be holy and religious and prosperity then they must labour to bee obedient and holy Zeno was wont to say Stob. Ser. Decorandon esse Republieas non preciosis ornamentis sed inhabitantium virtutibus Kingdomes and Common-wealths are not to be adorned with precious jewels or outward pompe but with the piety and vertues of the inhabitants It is the Lord as wee proved before that protects and preserves Kingdomes and States now wee can no longer be assured that he will preserve us then wee are carefull to please him and fearefull to offend him and diligent and industrious in the working of his worke and walking in his wayes But having spoken something