Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	heart_n	lord_n	sincerity_n	1,662	5	9.7763	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61282	Four sermons preached upon solemne occasions I. The troubler of Israel. II. The righteous mans concern for the churches misery. Preached before the judges. III. Cæsars due honour, preached before the mayor and aldermen of Leicester, May 29. 1669. IV. Davids work and rest, preached before the election of the mayor. By Tho. Stanhope A.M. Vicar of St. Margarets in Leicester.	Stanhope, Thomas.	1670 (1670)	Wing S5233B; ESTC R221868	48,189	101

of the Roman Emperors The powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 One thing more before I leave this Point If the Scripture and Fathers own this designation of Princes by God how horrid is the insolency of the Papists who would subject Kings to their Bishop and make their swords stoop to his Keyes And on the other side how abhominable is the wickedness of some pretended Protestants who would set up the power of the people above the King What followed thereupon we cannot but remember and to terrifie us from the like hereafter God grant it may never be forgotten 2. The second sort of Honour is Honor in Ore Honour in the Tongue We are to employ our Tongues for them speaking good of and bespeaking good for them which last is best done by prayer and supplication to God It is the Apostles charge that first of all supplications and prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and for all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2.1 2. And sure this charge was never more observed by any Church Each of our constant Litugy services having a prayer for the King in it Nor can it be denied but this was a duty payd by the ancient Christians Lib. 1. ad Autolicum pag. 76. Edit Morell I appeal to Theophilus mentioned before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will honour the King not by affording him any divine worship that they decryed in the Heathens but by praying for him And Tertullian speaks fully in the Name of all * Apolog. cap. 30. Precati sumus omnes semper pro omnibus Imperatoribus We all of us do always pray for all our Emperors delivering there the matter of their prayers a long life a safe Kingdom a quiet house valiant Armies faithfull councells honest Subjects a peaceable world And as if these had not been good wishes enough he adds Quaecunque hominis Caesaris vota sunt Whatsoever he can farther desire either as Man or Emperor And sure if this were a piece of service due from them it is no less due from us and from both upon a threefold account 2 ex parte Dei 3 ex parte nostri 3 ex parte sui 1. Ex parte Dei A reason there is for it on Gods part as it is a thing wherein he takes pleasure For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2.3 The command before had testified his good-liking this motive further argues his approbation Hereby we own him as the fountain of all blessings When the most potent persons upon earth are not relied upon but God Almighty invocated for them He desired to guide protect and preserve them the greatest glory must redound to him his Soveraignty being acknowledged over them as theirs is over us And surely this delights him much more than the calumniating reproaching or raking into any faults whereof they may be guilty That man after Gods own heart holy David knew well what would please him and therefore in composing a Psalm for Solomon next to succeed in the Throne he begins it with that excellent petition to acquaint us with our duty Give the King thy Judgements O Lord and thy righteousness unto the Kings Son Psal 72.1 2. The reasonableness hereof appears Ex parte nostri with respect to our selves because it is a thing which leads to our own advantage This we have also from the Apostle That under them we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty The blessings which Princes receive tend to the peoples good They are custodes utriusque tabulae and the better each of the tables is kept the more is the Subjects benefit What can we desire but the establishment of holiness and righteousness that God may be served and morall duties may be observed and this happiness must be obtained by our prayers Yea I doubt not to assert that our own advantage is mainly neglected when we neglect to pray for our Governours and it is but just that God should withdraw his blessings from us when we forsake his prescribed way for the keeping them Histories will sufficiently acquaint us what good the very Heathen Emperors reaped by the prayers of their Christian Souldiers which tended many times to the furtherance of the Gospel by a greater indulgence to the professors of it Nay look at the Princes themselves and so you will see 3. There is reason Ex parte sui with respect to Them because they stand in need of our prayers Their Employment must needs be burdensome and a great many cares are put on with the Crown All the concerns of the Common-Wealth are upon them as the head manageth the concerns of the body There are variety of temptations to which their greatness renders them liable Their pleasures may encline them to voluptuousness and their power to tyranny the rather because unaccountable to their Subjects for what they do however this doting age hath taught the contrary And then certainly there is a necessity we should pray for them considering that God only hath the hearts of all men particularly of Kings in his own hand The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whither so ever he will Prov. 21.1 that our supplications and intercessions may prevail with him to encline those hearts to good rather than evill So much for the second sort honor in ore honour in the mouth 3. The third is honor in opere an honour manifested in outward act And this will best testifie the truth of that esteem we bear in our hearts and the sincerity of those prayers which proceed from our lips Such an outward honour is due to Kings and may be of two sorts 1 an honouring them with our Goods 2 an honouring them with our Bodies 1. An honouring them with our Goods Thus Solomon useth the word Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 It is a point of duty to pay what Kings impose We know who reckoned this One of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The things which are Caesars Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars saith our Saviour Matt. 22.21 And the occasion of those words was a dispute about tribute money And thus the Primitive Christians judged it Tatianus about 180 years after Christ speaks plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Orat. cont Gracos pag. 144. Edit Morell Doth the King command me to pay tribute I am ready to obey that command I know it is a thing men will hardly be perswaded unto especially when payments grow heavy and purses grow Light when they have layen long and continue still But then consider the engagement upon us from God and that will serve to answer all objections Our Saviour in that place doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jus suum date render him that which is his own for a right to it he hath Nay

afficit said old Pythagoras That Magistrate who corrects not the faulty injures the blameless I adde further it enfeoffes you in the same guilt with them It is a known story how tart yet how true an answer was made to the Judge who expostulating with a Malefactor and pleading for how many crimes he had been pardoned was told that those crimes were not the mans but his because he had forgiven him and not punished him according to his deserts And the best of us have sins enough of our own that we need not grasp at those of others The truth is God hath directly pointed you to this duty in the Name he hath given you Rom. 13.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 3. David served his Generation and by his courage and resolution in the wayes of God All the difficulties which attended him all the affronts he met with all the afflictions through which he waded could not damp his resolute spirit from retaining his integrity or draw him from his God Michal scoffs when he danceth before the Arke and he tells her I will yet be more vile than thus and will be base in mine own sight 2 Sam. 6.22 The Grandees and Princes thereabouts sat and spake against him yet did he meditate in Gods statutes Psal 119.23 Nay notwithstanding he endured some causeless persecutions yet his heart stood in awe of Gods word verse 161. He could not be daunted with the face of the greatest I will speak of thy testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed verse 46. A Lyons heart is not more requisite in a Chyrurgion than in a Magistrate that he firmly and stedfastly purpose with himself not to be discoueaged at whatsoever happens that nothing terrifie or affright him that neither threats nor frowns neither f●wnings nor flatteries withdraw him from God or sink his Spirit One would wonder what kind of man Jeshua was that hears him so often charged to be couragious Be strong and of a good courage saith God for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the Land Josh 1.6 Have not I commanded thee saith God again be strong and of a good courage be not afraid neither be thou dismaid verse 9. All that thou commandest us say the people we will doe onely be strong and of a good courage verse 18. Not that he was either a Coward for want of valour or weak and flexible for want of resolution but having to deal with a stubborn people it was necessary to whet and set an edge upon his courage for preparing him against all trials Certainly there is no person in Authority but he must expect to grapple with some hardship to meet with some severe encounters and perhaps when he doth best to hear worst nor is there any thing to buoy him up and bring him safely off but arming himself beforehand with a serious resolve that nothing shall be of force to move him out of the wayes of God This therefore God expects from you in order to the serving your Generation that you valiantly maintain his truth and when any thing comes in contest between God and Man that you shrink not from him nor turn to the right hand or to the left It is not for you to swim with the stream but to strike against it be it never so fierce and if you cannot beat sin down yet at least to keep from the infection of it to determine as Joshua did when he took his farewel of Israel If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord Josh 24.15 And that leads me to the next Particular David served his Generation and by an exemplary life and conversation Which was so great a part of his service that our English Annotators have made an especial remarke upon it and thus give the sence of my Text after David had lived uprightly towards God in his appointed times he died Indeed so exact was his walking that all the good Kings after him are said to walk in his wayes or to doe as he did Of Josiah we read he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the wayes of David his Father 2 Kings 22.2 and of Hezekiah he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his Father did 2 Kings 18.3 And the wicked Princes are said not to walk in his wayes or to do like him So we read of Abijam his heart was not perfect with the Lord as the heart of David his Father 1 Kings 15.3 The truth is he was a man though not without infirmities yet of a most excellent life therefore called the man after Gods own heart Acts 13.22 And the Character of him is He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save onely in the matter of Uriah the Hittite 1 Kings 15.5 And truly this is an eminent part of your duty in serving your Generation and that which will have a very great influence upon all about you Believe it there will be many eyes upon you some out of a good some out of a bad intent some out of love some out of envy And every slip in you will be so much the greater as your place is higher for he that enters upon a Publick Office puts off the man and puts on the Magistrate Nor is there a likelier way to make others good than your being so Philosophers tell us that the inferiour orbes are carried about by the motion of the primum mobile And we know the Proverb Regis ad exemplum c. 'T s true of a Borough or Town as well as of a Kingdome such as the Rulers are such will the people be We see it in the case of Israel While Joshua and those with him who were exemplary for piety lived the people was pious too Israel served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua and all the dayes of the Elders that outlived Joshua Joshua 24.31 And you cannot at present imagine what a comfortable reflexion it will be hereafter that by your good conversation during the time of your employment you have contributed towards the promotion of piety and holiness In short men advanced to more than ordinary height most certainly prove either Stars or Comets and either enlighten or infect our lower World For we are most what led by practice praecepta docent exempla trabunt precepts instruct us but precedents more forcibly encliue us and as a Divine of our own expresseth it wittily though the words of the wise be as nails fastned by the Masters of Assemblies Fullers Holy State in the Character of a good Parent yet Examples are