Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	church_n	pillar_n	3,742	5	10.1590	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86277	The idea of the lavv charactered from Moses to King Charles. Whereunto is added the idea of government and tyranny. / By John Herdon Gent. Philonomos.	Heydon, John, b. 1629.	1660 (1660)	Wing H1671; Thomason E1916_2; ESTC R210015	93,195	282

second be crowned King of England and Ireland and that Family again restored c. Hence it was that God when he gave his Law afresh gave it in such a compendious Brachygraphy he wrote as it were in Characters without any explication or amplification at all He only enjoyned it with an imperatorious brevity he knowes there was enough in the breasts of men to convince them of it and to comment upon it only in the second Command there is added an enforcement because his people were excessively prone to violation of it and in that of the Sabbath there is given an exposition of it because in all its circumstances it was not found in the natural Idea of the Law so that in Dr. Barlowes language of Oxford the Decalogue would be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gold in the Lump whereas other Lawyers and Atturneyes use to beat it thinner And there is a sort of men termed petty Foggers that have the voice of Advocates engraffed in them which either of want of Clyents or riches incense the poor and silly men of the Countrey to go to Law and hearing their causes affirm them to be good supplying the place of Counsellours and raysing up for the value of a shilling great contentions and do make of a fiery sparkle a burning flame that destroyes many 46. But to return to the purpose of this Law as it is printed by nature Dr. Ward tels me Right reason is that fixt and unshaken Law not writ in perishing paper by the hand or pen of a Creature nor graven like a dead letter upon liveless and decaying Pillars but written with the point of a Diamond nay with the finger of God himself in the heart of a man a Deity gave it an Imprimatur And a Genius gave it in an immortal mind So as that I may borrow the expression of the Apostle the mind of man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I take it in the very same sence as it is to be took in the Church It is a Pillar of this Truth not to support it but to hold it forth neither must I forget the saying of Mr. Thomas Heydon saith he the royal Law of Nature was never shut up in a prison nor never confined or limited to any outward surface but is was bravely scituated in the Centre of a rational Being alwayes keeping the soul company guarding it and guiding it ruling all its Subjects every obedient action with a Scepter of Gold and crushing in pieces all its enemies breaking every rebellious action with a Rod of Iron 47. The Idea of the Law which is the Queen of Angelical and humane Being doth so rule and dispose of them as to bring about Justice with a most high and powerfull and yet with a most soft and delicate hand 48. You may hear Plato excellently discoursing of it whilest he brings in a Sophister disputing against Socrates and such an one as would needs undertake to maintain this principle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That there was an untunable Antipathy between Nature and Law that Lawes were nothing but Hominum infirmiorum commenta that this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most bright and eminent Justice of Nature for men to rule according to power and according to no other Law that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all other Lawes were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay he calls them cheatings and bewitchings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they come saith he like pleasant songs when as they are meer Charms and Incantations But Socrates after he had stung this same Callicles with a few quick interrogations pours out presently a great deal of honey and sweetness and plentifully shews that most pleasant and conspiring Harmony that is between Nature and Law That there 's nothing more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then a Law that Law is founded in Nature that it is for the maintaining and enobling and perfecting of Nature Nay as Plato tels me elsewhere in Philebus There is no way for men to happiness unless they follow those steps of Reason those foot-steps of Nature This same Law L. Verulam doth more then once acknowledge when he tells me a positive Law with him is a more private Law but Natures Law is a more publique and catholique Law which he proves to be a very soveraign and commanding Law for thus he saith The Law that is most filled with Reason must needs be most victorious and triumphant And thus much in defence of sixty three Paragraphs of my Idea of the Law 49. Right it is I should interpret the meaning of twenty eight paragraphs more as they appear in the Jdea of the Law Reason is a most beautifull Law a Law of pure Complexion of a Natural colour never fades never dies it encourages in obedience with a smile it chides them and frowns them out of wickednesse good men hear the least whispering of its pleasant voice they observe the least glance of its lovely eye but wicked men will not hear it though it come to them in thunder nor take the least notice of it though it should flash out in lightening None must enlarge the Philacteries of this Law nor must any dare to prune off the least branch of it Nay the Malice of man cannot totally deface so indelible a Beauty No Pope nor Protector nor King nor Parliament nor People nor Angel nor creature can absolve you from it This Law never paints its face It never changes its colour it does not put on one Aspect in London and another face at Westminster but lookes upon both Royal Cavaleirs and fanatique Roundheads with an impartiall eye it shines upon all Ages and times and conditions with a perpetual light it is yesterday and to day and for ever There is but on Law-giver one Lord and supreame judge of the same Law God blessed for ever more He was the contriver of it the Commander of it the publisher of it and none can be exempted from it unless he will be banisht from his own essence and be excommunicated from humane nature 50 This punishment would have sting enough if he should avoid a thousand more that are due to so foul a Transgression 51 Now the most high and Soveraign being even God himselfe doth not subject himself to any Law though there be some Actions also most agreeable to his Nature and others plainly inconsistent with it yet they cannot amount to such a power as to lay any Obligation uppon him which should in the least notion differ from the liberty of his own Essence 52. Thus also in the Common-wealth of humane Nature that proportion which Actions bear to reason is indeed a sufficient foundation for a Law to build upon but it is not the Law it self nor a formall obligation 53. Yet some of the Lawyers are extream bold and vain in their suppositions so bold as that I am ready to Question whether it be best to repeat them