Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n
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A20549
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A plaine and familiar exposition of the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Prouerbs of Salomon
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Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625.
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1608
(1608)
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STC 6959.5; ESTC S4611
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122,696
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160
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cogitations and purposes and what they loue and what they hate Reasons 1 what they reioice at what they be sory for there is not the lest motion in their mind which he doth not euidentlie see and narrowlie marke and therefore they may well knowe that the world shall also knowe them because he will lighten things that 1 Cor 4 5. be hid in darkenesse and he will make the counsels of the harts manifest and he will bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euerie Eccle 12 14. secret thing whether it be good or euill Secondlie God doth giue vnto manie of his seruants the spirit of discerning that they can smell out a dissembler and by dilligent obseruation finde out the lust and lewdnesse and sinfull disposition that is in him And therefore Dauid professeth so much of himselfe saying wickednesse saith of the wicked man euen Psal 36 1. in mine heart that there is no feare of God before his eies Thirdly an euill heart will either sooner or later bewray himselfe by euill waies in action or speech or countenance or company as a putrified carkasse must needs send forth an vnsauorie sent and corrupt humours in the body will break out into soares and vlcers Instruction to cleanse our harts from all folly and wickednes Vse 1 least our names bee stained at last with reproach and infamy Yf we would be ashamed to haue our vncleannesse or falsehood or pride or any kind of impiety or naughtines bud forth in our liues beware how we suffer the rootes thereof to grow in our soules If it be our disgrace that men should see the streames of sinne issuing out in the practise of our behauiour we can neuer be out of danger of disgrace so long as God beholdeth the fouÌ„taine of sinfulnes springing in our heartes No Art nor wit can serue to keepe it in when occasions shall be offred to drawe it out When Achitophell himselfe though a most cunning politician would not take heede of secret disloyaltie againste Dauid hee could not but breake out into open rebellion with Abshalom Verse 34. Iustice exalteth a nation but sinne is shame to the people IVstice that is true religion and obedience to Gods holy commandements and the enacting and executing of wholesome lawes doth exhalt a nation causeth the inhabitants of well ordered coÌ„mon wealths couÌ„tries and cities towns to prosper be coÌ„mended But sin practised and not punished is a shame to people it bringeth to contempt and maketh them infamous and draweth downe iudgements on the places where it is committed and tollerated Nothing doth so much make for the prosperity of any state as Doct. 1 the vertuous and godlie behauiour of the people Where the Lord both seruice duely performed to him there the LaÌ„d shall haue his fauours freely bestowed vpon her but if he be defrauded of his honor it shal be descated of his blessings feele his plagues and iudgements It is a worthy saying that is in the booke of Chronicles which Azariah the prophet vttered to Asa and his army saying O Asa and all Iudah and Boniamin heer ye me The Lord is with you whiles you be with him and if yee seeke 2. Chron. 15. 2. him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you And before that time Moses had foreshewn to euery succeeding age and generation what they should trust vnto and certainly looke for that is if they would obay the voice of the Lord theyr God and keepe his commandements hee would make them the head and not the tayle and they should bee aboue onelie and not beneath Deut. 28. 13. 43 If not their inferiours should climbe aboue them on hie and they should come downe beneath alowe their vnderlings should bee the head and they should become the taile First it is the best way to procure plenty for the Lord in regard Reasons 1 thereof doth make the seede good and the weather seasonable and the earth fruitful and corne and cattell and grasse and trees and all sorts of commodities to prosper And contrariwise as it is sayd in the Psalme Hee turneth the flouds into a wildernesse Psal 107 33 34. and the springes of water into drynesse and a fruitefull Land into barrennesse for the vvickednesse of them that dwell therein Secondly it bringeth peace and safety as it is promised by Micah that men may breake their swords into mattockes and their Micah 4. 3 4. speares into sithes and sit without feare vnder their vines and fig-trees or if any aduersary should rise vppe against them to inuade their country or to vexe their borders the Lord will worke such courage and fortitude in them as that they shall be able valiantly to resist and repell all their enemies according as it is sayde Leuit. 26 8. that fiue of them should chase an hundred and an hundred of them should put ten thousand to flight VVhereas if they prouoke him with iniquities and pollute their land with sinne hee will pursue them with perills and plague their land with warres and slaughter This doth Azariah prooue by experience and putteth them in minde of it which sawe the certainty of it and knewe it to be true Now saith he for a long season Israel hath beene without the 2. Chro. 15 3 5 6 true God and without a teaching Priest and without the Law And in that time there vvas no peace to him that did goe out and goe in but great troubles vvere to all the inhabitants of the earth For nation vvas destroied of nation and Cittie of Cittie for God troubled them vvith all aduersitio Thirdly it obtaineth and preserueth the lightes and glory of a kingdome or nation that is graue wise and faithfull gouernors both in Church and common weale Nothing doth better prolong the life or defend the state of anie prince than his owne goodnes and his subiects godly behauiour That is continually in euery place a strong guard for his safeâ—y and that is the best phisick for his health thereby are worthy counsellors and other subordinate ministers of iustice protected and thereby are godly pastors and fruitefull ministers of the gospell established But when a nation is filled with impiety and sinfulnesse it must bee emptied of these treasures and ornaments as is threatned at large by the prophet saying The Lorde God of hoastes will take away from Ierusalem and from Iudah the staie and the strength The Psai 3. 1. 2 3 strong man and the man of warre the iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged the captaine of fiftie and the honourable and the counsellor and the cunning artificer and the eloquent man And I will appoint children to be their princes and babes shal rule ouer them Instruction that sithence iustice and iust men doe helpe to aduance Vse a Nation that therefore iust man and iustice be most made of in the nation and because sinne and sinners bring shame