Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	cause_n	court_n	king_n	3,548	5	4.0704	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66756	An improvement of imprisonment, disgrace, poverty, into real freedom, honest reputation, perdurable riches evidenced in a few crums & scraps lately found in a prisoners-basket at Newgate, and saved together, by a visitant of oppressed prisoners, for the refreshing of himself and those who are either in a worse prison or (who loathing the dainties of the flesh) hunger and thrist after righteousness / by George Wither.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1661 (1661)	Wing W3163; ESTC R14994	55,794	128

that which their own hearts devis'd Although they by experiments had seen What of their Policies the fruits have been These were of old examples Saul thereby Deprived was of Life and Soveraignty King Solomon by something like that Knack To please his Wives in honour suff'red Wrack So Jeroboam though GOD promis'd him And to his seed a lasting Diadem By that State-policy whereby he sought To keep the Throne the loss thereof was wrought Jehu regardless of GOD's promises The same course following had the like success High places Altars Groves and Priests of Baal Were chief occasions of King Ahabs fall The bringing of the Gods of Edom home In hope that they a strengthning might become Unto his Kingdom was the overthrow Of Amaziah and of many moe State-Policy made Judah's King contemn The Prophets Counsel when Jerusalem Was first destroyed and the Jews inslaved Who might then from that Bondage have been saved And they who truly sought their preservation Reputed were as now Foes to their Nation Disloyal to their King seiz'd as supitious And punished as Factious or Seditious State-Policy caus'd breaking of that Oath For which GOD was with Zedekiah wroth And punished in such a Signal wise That he lost both his Kingdom and his Eyes And Politick enlarging of Possessions Or Power by loading Nations with Oppressions To further State-Designs until it wracks Their Loyalties and then their patience cracks Hath been and will be in all times and Nations The cause of Wars Rebellions desolations And changing Governments But now ere long When human Policy hath made most strong The MISTRIS of Terrestrial Potentates By Counsel Strength and by Confederates Combin'd as they intend and when their might Hath raised Expectation to the height Then She and They shall be unto each other A mutual Plague and be destroy'd together With ev'ry Person Family and Nation Which is a Member of that Corporation And then those PEDLERS who are now so jolly Shall packing up the Tokens of their folly Run to seek out where they their heads may hide From that whereby they shall be terrifi'd Let him that hath an ear to hear this hear it Let proud men tremble Let the mighty fear it And let the Meek rejoyce For GOD will turn Their Sorrows into Gladness who now Mourn It is not only now of much behoof But necessary too that sharp Reproof Advice and Admonition should be given To all Estates and Princes under Heaven Yea and particularly be apply'd By some and in some cases when aside They from the way of safety stray so far That to apparant danger nigh they are How ere they take it or what ever shall Thereby to their Premomters befall Because by States if wickedly inclin'd The greatest Plagues do fall upon mankind This made Elia's to become so bold When Ahab of his wickedness he told Unto his face and when to like intent A Writing he to King Jehoram sent This to reprove King Asa without dread The SEER Hanani encouraged This made the Prophet Samuel so to School King Saul that in effect he call'd him Fool And John the Baptist speak as plainly too Of Herod as now they term'd Quakers do To some with us This also did induce King David who observed the abuse Of Courts and Councils to cry out on them To this effect how long will ye condemn The poor and Innocent how long oppress The man afflicted and the Fatherless How long will ye unrighteously neglect The cause that 's just for personal respect Do Justice and vouchsafe compassion more Hereafter then ye have done heretofore For if it be not to you be it known You walk in darkness you have overthrown The worlds Foundations wilfully inforce All things to move out of their proper course And that though GOD himself hath call'd you Gods A difference making with no little odds Twixt you and common men yet die you shall Like them yea die such Death's as did befall To wicked Princes who unto their place Went down with greatest horror and disgrace Although such rough Reprooss on silken Ears Grate harshly and are thought by Flatterers To sound like Blasphemy This in old times The Language was in which great Princes crimes Rebuked were This was the usual mode Till slavish men fear'd mortals more then GOD. Thus David spake unto the Congregations Of mighty men Thus through all Generations To them should Truth be told as need requir'd By those who to that purpose are inspir'd Republicks Kings and Councils Objects are Of such Reproofs and so reproved were And how inrag'd soever they are grown GOD will be King his pleasure hee 'l make known By whom soever he pleases that their crimes May now as well as in preceding times Reproved be For States and private men Are every whit as guilty now as then The same at this time or the like Omissions The like Exorbitances and Oppressions In this our Generation may be found And more and more are likely to abound If not prevented for the things we should We neither do nor suffer those who would And if we can but force men to professe As we do though against their Consciences We think we have secur'd them to our side Whereas when such mens Truths come to be try'd Who are for fear or for advantage won To act what is against their Conscience done They being both to GOD and Men unjust In them there 's of all other the least trust For how long or to whom or unto what Will they be true who Conscience violate Doubtless without a speedy Reformation It wholly will corrupt this Generation Fit us for nothing but for what is Evil And to be serviceable to the Devil As therefore 't is unfit that ev'ry one Should States reprove 't is as unfit that none Perform that Work and brutish to conceive That GOD the Worlds last and worst Age should leave Without Premonitors or that the dayes Most wicked grown requir'd not stranger wayes Of Admonition then have been in use When of GOD's Grace there was much less abuse For Providence that nothing doth omit Which either Work or Season may befit Although but little heed thereof be took Hath lately to this Generation spoke By many Prodigies Each Element Hath very plainly Preached GOD's intent Yea many Dispensations which to us Seem to be wicked or ridiculous Have somewhat in them which relates unto That which we have done or else ought to do Or have Omitted or else to be Signs Of that whereto this later Age declines And that such things as those in these last Ages Should be we have Authentical Presages But Visions Revelations Prophesies Or such like now the common-voice decries As at an end which I confesse is true As they concern revealing Doctrines new To saving Faith relating yet of that Which may concern the Temporarie State Of CHRIST'S Church Militant or his Elect In Actings or in Suff'rings to direct Or of unfolding Prophesies to them Which were seal'd up till an appointed time

him that we love his whole Creation Nought hating but what 's his abomination We will not then permit Humane Tradition With his known will to stand in competition Lay bonds on them whom he from Bondage frees Charge him with Ordinances and Decrees Which he did never make but forged were By him who layes for ev'ry Soul a snare Or by his Instruments whose Merchandizes And Pomp are much advanc'd by those devises We will not when he graciously invites To penitence reject him with despights And foes implacable to them appear Who zealous of their Weal and Safety are These are the Well-springs of those many errors Distractions miseries and Pannick Terrours Which are among us That which chiefly here Begetteth troubles and augmenteth fear Is want of such a Fear and such a Love As may become effectual to improve Those Judgements these Mercies which our eyes Have seen whereby though we see GOD tryes These Nations to this day nor Prince nor Peer Nor Priest nor People doth as yet appear So mindful as they ought to be of that Which was for or against them done of late Nor see I any Fruit which thence proceeds Save Thorns Brambles Thistles tares or weeds But they who stop their Ears and shut their Eyes Against those Wonders and those Prodigies Which have been lately sent to startle them From that security wherein they Dream And they who are not much displeas'd alone With Publication of what God hath done But also with his Word shall see and hear Those things ere long with trembling with fear Which will not be concealed but befall So openly as to be known to all These have the causes been that Christendom Is lately an Acheldama become For these are those things which advance the works Of Antichrist and make way for the Turks Let us repent therefore whilst we have space Lest Fields of Blood be turned to Golgotha's Let us in this our Visitation day Give ear unto GOD's Voice whilst yet we may Not like Bruit Beasts pursuing one another But lincking fast in Charity together Be reconcil'd to GOD with Loving-awe For that sums up the Gospel and the Law Do this and if of ought your fearful be Let all that you can fear fall upon me A short Excuse rendering some Reasons why this Prisoner makes no Adresses for his Release to great Persons for their Favour in his Cause I Am inform'd by men of good report That there are Noble Pers'nages in Court Who hate Injustice and are of their Tribe Who love not baseness flattery or a Bribe And that should I my self to these Adresse I might perhaps obtain a quick release 'T is possible But I may much indanger Their Quiet and am now grown such a stranger To Courtship that I cannot Complement Or act effectually to that intent Nor think it prudence were I mov'd that way To seek a Needle in a Trusse of Hay 'T is not my Principle though other while I have been over-ruled to beguile My understanding that course to endeavour And having found it unsucesful ever Resolve now be it for my gain or loss To signifie my Cause to them in grosse In open Courts to whom it doth belong To be my Judges of what 's right or wrong For if impartially they will not hear My cause at large and do me Justice there I will not be oblig'd to any one To do for private ends what should be done For Justice-sake because where one man shall Be so corrupt it may corrupt them all And in each Case by turns for unjust ends They may Bribe one another for their Friends As heretofore they did and as they may Hereafter whatsoever I do or say Not much esteem of any thing I make Which other men can either give or take Nor Safety Wealth or Honour pleaseth me But that which will inseparable be From me and which I may attain unto And also keep whether men will or no. Vertue 's the Fountain whence true honour springs Not Popes Grand Segniors Emperors or Kings For what they give to make men Honourable To me appears to be so dispicable That though most men do their chief darling make it If they would give it me I would not take it What is there likely for me to be done By those who such-like Baubles dote upon I never hitherto a kindness had By any Friend which I my self have made But by such onely as God had inclin'd Without a by-respect in any kind To do me Justice or to shew compassion Mov'd by their own Heroick inclination And to that end GOD often heretofore Hath from among meer strangers rais'd me more True Friends at need my cause to undertake Then I deserved or had pow'r to make And as it me contented much the better So thereby was their honour made the greater Most seek the Judge but I believe his word Who said The Judgement cometh from the LORD And unto me it seems an indirect Aspersion or a Symptom of suspect A Judge in private to preoccupate And him by Friends or Gifts to captivate For in great Counsels men should nothing do In love to Friends or hatred to a Foe I have observed that Judicial Courts Whether they be of good or bad reports Or whether what is actually there done Seem just or to the wrong of any one Are guided by a Spirit which directs To what is alwayes Righteous in respects Unto GOD's Justice though perhaps it may A Humane Righteousness infringe some way Or though they to whom Judgement is refer'd Through Ignorance or Wickedness have err'd I le therefore make no Friend nor fear a Foe But when the COMMONS call me I will go To hear their Charge for which I have begun To suffer er'e 't is known what I have done That least I break or die before the time In which I must make payment for my crime If crime it prove they rather overweight May lay then that which is a Dram too light For punishments are usually well paid Though other debts till Dooms Day are delay'd And Innocence is oft pursued further Upon suspect then real Theft or Murther In that for which unheard some precondemn My Person hither I TO GOD and them Whom it may most concern Appeals have made Whereon I ought a Tryal to have had Before I suff'red My Appeal prefer'd To GOD hath betwixt him and me been heard Within his Court of Conscience in my heart And there am quit of what may on his part Be brought against me for what I have writ He sees it though the world concealeth it And read it must be by the Commons too Ev'n quite throughout if Justice they will do Before they censure it Needless it were If just and conscientious men they are To Court them to their Duties and so strong No Charm of mine can be whereby a wrong May be prevented if to take that ill They be resolv'd which flowed from Good-will At all aduenture wholly to the Laws And to

AN IMPROVEMENT Of Imprisonment Into Real Freedom Of Disgrace Into Honest Reputation Of Poverty Into Perdurable Riches Evidenced in a few Crums Scraps Lately found in a PRISONERS-BASKET AT NEVVGATE And Saved together by a Visitant of Oppressed Prisoners for the refreshing of himself and those who are either in a worse Prison or who loathing the dainties of the Flesh hunger and thirst after Righteousness HE who five thousand hungry Souls had fed With two small Fishes and five Loaves of Bread Would have the Fragments sav'd for that is sweet To some which others trample under feet This Prisoners late Experiments may be Of use to them who know much more than he For men to credit those are soonest mov'd Whose Words to be sincere by Deeds are prov'd By GEORGE WITHER London Printed in the Year 1661. THE AUTHOR OF THESE Fragments TO THE Humble the Poor in Spirit and to all those Afflicted-Ones who disdain not these CRUMMS EXperience though to Fools it Mistris be Oft makes men Wise For some effects on me To that end it hath had though with mocks Most entertain my Triple-Paradox It will by what ensues I hope appear That Truths by me therein averred were And that whatever shall succeed thereon My Words and Actions do concurr in One. Those few who did here visit me in love Seem'd with so much contentment to approve Their homely Entertainment with these Scraps That they were pocketed and some perhaps Them will Communicate Which if they do So let it be and much good do 't them too I wish for their sakes that they better were But if as they did mine their hearts they cheere I may to Constancy encouraged be By their Example more than they by me At present are and mutual Ayd's ere long Shall make the weakest of us to grow strong For by GOD's Providence not seldom springs Noblest Effects from most contemned things Let all who of these Fragments Coppies had These Lines to be perfixt before them add CAPTIVITY IMPROVED INTO FREEDOM By the Grace of God GEORGE WITHER to his Friends who have inquired after him since the late seizure of his Person Books and Papers WHere I now am you much desire to hear What I am blam'd for what I want or fear Which this will briefly tell you I am well In Purgatory between Heaven and Hell My Fact which I acknowledge in good sooth May some offend is only writing Truth And that is in prevaricating times Much more offensive then some hainous Crimes I nothing Want that 's truly needful save Due thankfulness to GOD for what I have Who hitherto in an unusual wise Without my care vouchsafeth me supplies Which hereby I acknowledge to this end That others may in straits on him depend All I need now to fear is that before I shall be freed I way be made so poor The Messenger will hardly get his fees Or that the Remnant of a Loaf and Cheese Which at my now forsaken Chamber lies Will mouldy be or eaten by the Mise I do not fear that what I have exprest Or published will not abide the Test Unless my Judges do by looking back The Gen'ral-Pardon ineffectual make For that which I last wrote was but fruit torn Out of the Mothers Womb before 't was born Which whether Life or Death receive it should No man with certainty determine could And if according unto my Appeals That which I purpos'd for the Publick-weal And honor of the King may be perused Intirely and not palpably abused By taking from or adding thereunto I do defie the worst this World can do Well knowing that if she conceal what 's done From Publick view yet passeth doomes thereon Which may be to my wrong 't will be reveal'd And judg'd by GOD to whom I have appeal'd Though now there be not left with me one Line Of what I last wrote I no whit repine For Providence will further my intent Thereby much better than the course I meant Or else will raise up if that be calcin'd A sprightlier Product of the self-same kind Which to obliterate none shall presume Nor time abolish nor the flame consume Till it hath took effect to that good end For which I did at first the same intend And Joseph-like when I shall tried be Either the King or GOD will set me free To whose Free-mercies only I appeal Ev'n in those things which I intended well For extream Justice is a dreadful thing Whether pronounc'd by GOD or by a King And otherwhile men of an upright-way Permitted are in somethings to mis-say That Spirits may be tri'd and those things known Which are of GOD from that which is our own I have not purposely one Paper hid To cloake the worst that er'e I said or did And if men would but at my frailties wink I 'le tell them when they please ev'n all I think Although against my Life it might offend So their Demands to publick wellfare tend For to that purpose if it needful were I dare say more than many dare to hear As would be known by what is now surpriz'd might it be read in publick undisguis'd Yet not exceed my limits ne'r-theless Or bounds of Reason or of Soberness I have discharg'd my Conscience as I thought The present times required that I ought Considering that otherwise such Tools May be of use and men reputed Fools Speak things as pertinently in some cases As they who are imployd in Wise mens places I am not ignorant with what disdain Our Pantaloons my Poems entertain Nor ought displeased that what I have writ Seem'd Frothy-stuffe unto a Flashy-wit My sowr Herbs are as pleasing to some pallats As Apricocks Muskmillions or sweet Sallets To wanton Appetites and wholsomer Than that wherein they more delighted are My Verse to them seems Vanity to be So seem They and all Earthly things to me By them I numbred with Phanaticks am And they by me reputed are the same My Muse harsh sounds unto their ears applies Their Manners do as much offend mine eyes And if I merit Punishment who chid them For things misdone what merit they who did them Should none Reprove but persons wholly free From Sinfulness no Sin Reprov'd should be And where our general Reproofs offend Few men their private Errors will amend All that is in my Thoughts my Words or Deeds Approvable from GOD's free Grace proceeds And none deserveth blame but I alone If I do for what now is thought misdone Yet come not at me till you may be sure Your Visits may no detriment procure Unto your selves for though that I am zealous Of publick Safety many are so jealous Of our Sincerity whom they shall find From them in some things of a diff'ring mind That they who walk by Gospel and by Law May chance to suffer like Jack Fletcher's Daw Which taken among Pigeons Pies and Crowes For whom a Net was laid did speed like those And to help keep an Innocent from starving May censur'd be by