Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	king_n	mercy_n	throne_n	1,927	5	9.8019	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01704	The blessing of a good king Deliuered in eight sermons vpon the storie of the Queene of the south, her words to Salomon, magnifying the gouernment of his familie and kingdome. By Thomas Gibson, minister.	Gibson, Thomas, M.A.	1614 (1614)	STC 11841; ESTC S103127	203,984	514

his Subiects yet let him put off that and become a brother doing and leauing vndone all things in respect of the Common-wealth that all men may see that hee seeketh nothing but the profite of his Subiects Worthy is the example of good Mordechai who when hee was a priuate man yet hee was a faithfull subiect in discouering treasons Howsoeeuer proud Hammon comming of that cursed seed of Agag informeth the King of him and the poore Iewes as though they were enemies to the State yet both hee and they were faithfull both to God and the King as it was plainely proued afterward At that time and in that state his care was for the Church of God hee vsed all meanes and ventured all danger for the helping of Gods people After that the enemy of God and of the Church Hammon was cut off and Gods people had deliuerance safety and ioy then Mordechai his faithfulnesse being knowne to the King then I say hee was aduanced to great honour and behaued himselfe as a worthy Ruler for it is said that Mordechai the Iew was the second vnto King Ahashuerosh and great among the Iewes and accepted among the multitude of his brethren who procured the wealth of his people and spake peaceably to all his seed Wherein wee are to obserue three things necessary in good Rulers first to haue the fauour of the people secondly to procure their wealth and thirdly to bee gentle and louing to them This good Ruler being aduanced hee doth not forget himselfe hee is not high-minded hee is not carelesse of his place but imployeth all his trauell for the good and preseruation of the Church This care had good Nehemiah who though hee was safe himselfe and great with the King yet when hee heard of the distresse of his Countrimen hee is moued with compassion hee mourneth weepeth and fasteth for them hee prayeth heartily to God hee goeth to the King for his fauour and protection and vseth all meanes that hee can and endureth many reproches and dangers for the comforting of the people and for the building of the wals of the decayed Ierusalem And thus wee see describing the duties of good Kings and Gouernours we see I say the necessity the authority the excellency the blessing of good Kings the happinesse of good gouernment by them the wicked and notorious transgressours of the first and second Table are cut downe Good Subiects are countenanced Iustice Peace Honesty and all vertue is maintained and cherished In this gouernement the Wisedome Justice and Goodnesse of God towards mankind is most cleerely to bee seene His Wisedome is declared by order which is in deserning vertues and vices and in the Societies of Mankind vnder lawfull gouernment and in contracts guided and disposed by meruailous Wisedome The Iustice of God appeareth in Ciuill Gouernment in that hee will haue open sinnes punished by the Magistrate and when they that are in authority do not take punishment on offenders then God himselfe miraculously draweth them vnto punishment and proportionably doth lay vpon grieuous sinnes grieuous punishments euen in this life as it is said whosoeuer taketh the sword shall perish with the sword and Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will iudge In these punishments God will haue to bee seene the differences of vertues and vices and will haue vs learne that God is Wise Iust True and Chaste The goodnesse of God also towards Man-kind is seene in that hee preserueth the society of men after this order and for that cause doth hee maintaine it that from thence his Church may bee gathered and will haue Common-wealthes to bee places for the entertainement of his Church THE EIGHTH SERMON VERSE 9. And made thee King to doe equity and righteousnesse THE Princely Prophet Dauid the Predecessour and Father of Salomon speaking of the gouernment of himselfe of his houshold and also of the Church and Common-wealth committed to him from God hee saith on this manner I will sing Mercy and Iudgement vnto thee ô Lord will I sing In which words hee promiseth and protesteth openly to God that when hee should place him in the throne of his kingdome he would be in his whole gouernment both iust and merciful that is executing iustice and iudgement against the wicked and shewing all kindnesse and mercy to the good and godly In these two words of Iudgement and Mercy is comprised the whole duety of good Gouernours they must with Dauid strike vpon these two strings Iudgement and Mercy not onely of Iudgement but also of Mercy and not onely of Mercy but also of Iudgment for iudgement without mercy is but cruelty and mercy without iudgment is but foolish pitty therefore saith Salomon Mercy and Truth preserue the King for his throne shal be stablished with mercy And in another place A King by Iudgement maintaineth a Countrey Againe A King that iudgeth the poore in truth his throne shall be established for euer This blessed Queene in describing the office of a King ioyneth with these two blessed Kings Dauid and Salomon saying That God hath placed Salomon in his Throne to doe Equity and Righteousnesse Though shee doe not name Mercy yet no doubt it is included for this Equity and Righteousnesse doth containe an vpright gouernment both in pollicy and religion a gouernment I say according to the rule of Gods law● punishing the wicked comforting and defending the godly The very proper principall obiect of the Magistrate are all the wicked vnder his gouernment Not that he is to be carelesse of the good for those that be good themselues will haue a care of those that are good seeing God himselfe is carefull of them And as for the good they are soone and easily ruled the greatest care trouble and labour is about the ordering and gouernment of the wicked and the remouing punishing and ordering of them is for the defence comfort peace and good of the godly As the head is to defend the body from all wrong and iniury so farre as it may and as the sheapheard is to defend his flocke against Wolues Foxes and wilde beasts so are good Magistrates to defend their people from all oppressours at home and abroade And therefore all worthy Kings and Rulers haue fought in open field against rebels and cruell enemies in defence of their subiects And thus did Ehud Deborah Barak Gedeon Iephtah deliuer the children of Israel out of the hands of their cruel enemies And thus did Iosua and the Elders of Israel and the men of warre they besiedged the Citty of Ai and destroyed it And Samson a most valiant Champion hazarded himselfe and ventured his life for the defence of Gods people against the bloudy Philistims and both by his life and by his death slue many thousands of them And thus Dauid the King the valiant Souldier defended his subiects the people of Israel from the vncircumcised Philistims and other enemies and slue many thousands of them in the open field And

neighbour they are full of precepts and exhortations full of graue counsell and sweete consolations they informe all men in the seuerall duties of their callings they commend vertue and forbid vice they set downe rewards for the godly and punishments for the wicked they speake of Christ the wisedome of wisedome the wisedome of the Father The Canticles intituled The Song of Songs the most excellent and holie Song is no vaine nor idle booke of wanton loue as carnall men may falsely conceiue and imagine but it is altogether mysticall speaking of the spirituall loue of Christ and his Church And thus writeth one of this booke The Canticles sayeth he is a certaine spirituall and holie delight in the Mariage of the King and the Queene of this heauenlie Citie that is Christ and the Church but this is all in mysticall figures to inflame vs the more to search the truth to delight the more in finding the appearance of that Bridegroome to whom it is said there Trueth hath loued thee and of that Bride that receiueth this word Loue is in thy delightes As for the booke of the Ecclesiastes it doth intreate of the same argument we haue now in hand of the chiefe felicitie of man in this life that it is not in humane wisedome nor in pleasure nor in vertue if it be considered as it is in it selfe nor in any publique or priuate state of life Againe he sheweth what is true felicitie namely to feare God and to worship him with a true and vnfaigned heart This booke maketh nothing for Epicures and Atheists though hee seeme to stirre them vp to eating and drinking and to reioyce as though this was the chiefe felicitie of man in this life S. Augustine applieth that in the place before alledged to spirituall eating and drinking to the participation of Christs table For he sayeth The Preacher cannot meane of carnal eating because in an other place of that booke he saith It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart Againe the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the hearts of fooles are in the house of mirth yet sometimes it may be and it is most likely that he speaketh not in his owne person but in the person of Epicures not allowing their speech nor practise For doth he not say of laughter and pleasure Thou art mad And doth he not in an other place scoffe and threaten yong men for their vaine delights and pleasures saying Reioyce ô yong man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement And presently after he giueth him this counsell Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth And ô ye Atheists Epicures and Libertines marke and remember the conclusion of that booke as he began so he endeth crying and repeating Vanitie of vanities sayeth the Preacher all is vanitie and the last word of his booke are these Let vs heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole dutie of man for God will bring euery worke to iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill This is the chiefe wisedome of Salomon which is extant written and recorded for the instruction of all posterities this is true and diuine wisedome and though it was not then written when these words were spoken yet the same or the like he taught this woman she receiued beleeued it and with great ioy doth heere commend and magnifie it Therefore true felicitie consisteth in true and diuine wisedome which was vnknowne to the Philosophers for their wisedome was earthlie false and contrary to it selfe and as there is one Creator and gouernor of the world one God one truth so there must needs be but one true wisedome because whatsoeuer is true good it cannot be perfect except it be singular And therefore it is worthilie said All the wisedome of man consisteth in this one thing that he know and worship God this is our doctrine this is our sentence and therefore with as high a voice as I can this I testifie this I proclaime and this I denounce this is that which all the Philosophers in their whole life sought for but could neuer finde nor comprehend it because they held a false religion or else vtterly ouerthrew religion let them therefore goe which haue troubled the life of man for what should they teach or whom should they instruct who haue not instructed themselues whom can the sicke man cure or whom can the blind rule or guide shall wee tarrie then till Socrates know any thing till Anaxagoras finde light in darkenesse or shall we stay till Democrates draw out the truth or till Empedocles dilate the paths of his minde or Arcesilus and Carneades perceiue and vnderstand Behold a voyce from heauen teaching the truth and shewing to vs light more cleare then the sunne it selfe Why are wee iniurious to our selues and so slow to receiue wisedome How manie worthie men haue spent themselues in seeking and yet could neuer finde He that will bee wise and blessed let him heare the voyce of God let him learne righteousnesse let him contemne earthly things receiue heauenly that so he may attaine to the best and greatest good to the which hee was borne casting a side all other religions Let vs come to the true religion and wisedome this true wisedome consisteth in the knowledge of our selues and in the knowledge of God this is the height of wisedome in comparison of which all knowledge is ignorance and if thou hadst the perfect knowledge of all Arts and Sciences what would it profit thee if thou knowe not thy selfe thou wandrest abroad and thinkest thou knowest many things and yet are blinde at home But ô blessed soule which is filled with wisedome of God and happie is he who desireth to be wise in Gods sight for one little drop of this true wisedome is more worth then a riuer and sea of worldly wisdome In all the creatures the Lord doth shew his wisedome and power but most of all in man creating him after his owne Image and likenes many knowe many things and yet knowe not themselues they see others and passe by themselues the better thou doest knowe thy selfe the better thou shalt knowe God Set before thine eyes the miserie of thy body and the shortnes of this miserable life and so thou shalt come to GOD thou must beginn● with the knowledge of thy selfe this will humble thee and make thee feare God If thou wilt knowe what thou art looke thy selfe in a glasse The glasse of a man is an other man If an other be earth dust and wormes such a one