Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	commandment_n	day_n	keep_v	5,149	5	5.7511	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05370	Ravvleigh his ghost. Or a feigned apparition of Syr VValter Rawleigh to a friend of his, for the translating into English, the booke of Leonard Lessius (that most learned man) entituled, De prouidentia numinis, & animi immortalitate: written against atheists, and polititians of these dayes. Translated by A. B.; De providentia numinis, et animi immortalitate. English	Lessius, Leonardus, 1554-1623.; Knott, Edward, 1582-1656.; Raleigh, Walter, Sir, 1552?-1618.	1631 (1631)	STC 15523; ESTC S102372	201,300	468

suppressed that they hurt not the true worshippers of God the dead recald raised to life and the wicked and impious by the peculiar hand of God wonderfully chastised From all which it is a most cleare and illustrious truth that there is a certaine supernaturall and diuyne power which seeth all things gouerneth all things and weigheth all things in an euen ballance of iustice and Reason which seuerly punisheth the perpetrators and workers of iniquity vndertaketh a particuler charge and defence of the vertuous often effecting for their good and safety many things aboue the ordinary and setled course of nature Neither in these miracles can there be cōceaued the least suspition of any imposture or deceit first because the authour which wrot all these some few excepted was indued with extraordinary wisedome and grauity and was accounted the greatest Prophet that euer liued in any age among those who either florished for sanctity of life or praise of wisedome Secondly because there were many predictions set downe by him in his works as in Genesis 12. 49. the Numbers 24. Deutron 32. and 33. all which seing we fynd by the euent to be most true we may rest assured that he was most faithfull in his relation of other things Thirdly in that euery one of the things recyted aboue are so particularized with all their circūstances of tymes places persons names occasions effects with such an order and so sorting to the nature of things with such a consequence of matters and so agreeably to piety and probity of Manners as that euen an eye witnes of the same passages occurrents could not deliuer them with greater exactnes Now who forgetn things auoydeth for the most part many circumstāces or if he addeth them then is the fiction easily discouered by them for what he wryteth is either not agreable to the tyme place nature of things themselues or other more certaine and approued historyes or els some contradiction is found in the matter it selfe as falleth out in the fabulous historyes of Homer Nonnus Virgil Ouid Amadu many other such like Fourthly in most of the things aboue related the authour to wit Moyses was not only present at the performance of them but was the chiefe man in the action performing the same as the instrument of the holy Ghost and therefore had best reason to know them most precisely Fiftly if he had written differently from the truth especially touching the plagues of Aegipt the deuyding of the Sea and the actions performed in the wildernes he might easily haue bene conuinced of falshood by many hundred thousands of witnesses who were also then present with him For all these things were red openly before the whole multitude were also to be read ouer againe euery seuenth yeare in the presence of the people as appeareth out of the 31. chapter of Deuteronomy Sixtly all the former things as then being best knowne throughout all the East were recorded in Hebrew verse by Dauid who was a King and a Prophet and who was later in tyme then Moyses more then 450. yeares which verses euen from that tyme to this very day are continually sung in the publicke prayers almost throughout the whole world by the Iewes where they enioy the vse of their religion and by Christians for the space of 1600. yeares Yea after the dayes of Moyses there did almost in euery age rise vp among the people of Israell certaine Prophets and venerable Men who being guyded by the assistance of the holy Ghost did gouerne teach and reduce the erring people to the law of Moyses which men did euer worship Moyses as a diuyne Prophet and worshipper of the highest God All which as beinge worthy and pious Men and in what credit estimation they were had may appeare from the consideration both of their actions and writings For their actions were such as exceeded al humane forces and necessarily required the ayde of the Almighty such were those acts performed by Iosua Debora Gedeon Sāpson Samuel Dauid Nathan Salomon Ahias Silonites Elias Elizaus Esay Ieremy Daniel Ionas Iudith Esther the Machabees and by diuers others And their writings were replenished with diuers predictions and Prophesyes of things to come which through long succession of many ages had their answerable accomplishments and fulfillings a poynt so worthy of obseruation as that the lyke cannot be found in any history or writings of other nations Seauenthly euen during the law of the Iewes from the tymes of Moyses there was euery yeare an acknowledgment of the effecting of these former wonders celebrated by diuers ceremonyes festiuall dayes sacrifices and other rytes least the memory of them should in tract of tyme perish and be abolished for the feast of the Passouer and the Sacrifice or the Pascall Lambe was performed in thankesgiuing for the peoples deliuery out of Aegipt and for the preseruation of those Iewes who during their stay in Aegipt were saued from the slaughter which was made vpon the first borne of the Iewes And for the same cause was offered vnto God all the first borne of things The feast of Pentecost was in memory of the law giuen vpon the fiftith day after their deliuery The feast of the Tabernacles was celebrated in recordation that the people liued forty yeares in the desart in Tabernacles Furthermore the Arke of the Couenant was kept and preserued the which Moyses by the commandement and direction of God made and in the which the Rod of Aaron which blossomed and the vessell of the Manna and the Law written in two tables of stone by the hand of God and deliuered by Moyses were safely laid vp all which benefits of God and his wonderfull workes were celebrated with the singing of diuers Canticles and songs To conclude the very bookes themselues of the testamēt were with great diligence and publick authority in a holy publick and most secure place as diuyne Oracles preserued least otherwise they might by any deceit be corrupted and depraued Eightly for the greater accession of Reasons to the former it may be added that those wrytings of the old testament are full of wisedome piety and grauity in which are found no vanity or improfitable curiosity For all things there are set downe most seriously and most aptly for the informing and rectifying the mynd with vertue and piety for deterring it from all wickednes and for it voluntary imbracing of godlines iustice benignity mansuetude patience temperance and all this with wonderfull documents and examples of most excellent men alledged to this end a course far contrary to that which is taken in the wrytings of Philosophers in the which many vayne curious and improfitable passages are found as also sometymes many wicked prophane and impure instructions are to be read For they in their bookes by reason of the then commō vse do permit the worship of Idols though they were perswaded that there was but one supreme diuyne Power In like manner they permit ●ullination

these are ascribed and giuen to any one there riseth in him an apprehension of his owne excellency with the which he is wonderfully delighted Euen as on the contrary by conuicious speaches and reproach there is stirred vp a cogitation of ones vility and basenes which is displeasing and distasting to euery one Therefore all men loue praise and glory because these are signes of excellency and hate contumely disgrace as markes and badges of abiection and vnworthines of mynd Secondly all men couet honour because as the mynd greatly desireth to be eminent and excelling so it desireth to be so reputed in the iudgements of others for the soule or mynd of man deemeth this to belong to it as a certaine new essence or as a new intelligible life as I may call it vnder the glorious shew and forme whereof it being knowne it seemeth to liue in the mynds of men For as the Philosophers do say Intelligere est quoddam rei intelligibilis esse to vnderstand and know a thing giueth a certaine essence and being to the thing so knowne This point Tully may be wel thought to insinuate in the words aboue recyted E● est vita c. That is the life which flourisheth in the memory of all ages which posterity nourisheth and through the which we being absent are present and being dead do liue Therefore this memory this estimation eternizing of ones fame is a certaine life of the soule and her endowments which is not discerned by the eye but vnderstood by the mynd consisteth not by nature but by the iudgments and censures of mynds doth not intrinsecally in here to the soule but is extrinsecally possessed by which meanes the soule may be said to liue in the mynds of men to haue so many liues as there are men in whose hearts it is highly magnified and valewed This life is so much esteemed sometimes by the soule as that it is content oftentimes to contemne corporall life for the preseruing of it and to expose the body to most certaine death before it will suffer the least blemish losse of reputation name so holding it more worthy to liue by memory in the mynds of others then in his owne person and body by nature Which is an euident argument that glory although it be but an imaginary and empty thing is more worthy and preciable then riches or pleasures For such is the excellency of the mynd as that it preferreth the least goods properly belonging to it before the greatest corporall goods Thirdly All do seeke after glory because glory is conducing and profitable to many things for it retayneth and keepeth man in his duty withdrawing him from all turpitude ●loth and improbity least otherwise he should loose his good name for want of shame and an vtter contempt of what honest men do thinke of one is a point most dangerous Furthermore Glory maketh that men may with pleasure grace credit negotiate with others in publicke in the eye of the world where base and degenerous persons dare not appeare Againe it procureth that men are aduanced to magistracy and publike gouerment since the gates of honours and dignityes are shut to the infamous and such as are abiect Lastly it causeth that we conuerse among men with fruite for whether it be in a course of doctrine and learning or in the administration of iustice neither of them can be performed without the reputation of a good name and therefore the VViseman truly said Melius est c. A good name is to be chosen aboue great riches as also in another place Curam habe c. haue regard to thy good name for that shall be prized with thee aboue a thousand treasures of gold THE XVIII REASON CHAP. XIX AGAINE if the Soule dyeth with the body then besydes all the former inconueniences aboue alleadged these two do follow First that iniuries and wrongs should remayne vnreuenged and that any wickednes whatsoeuer in mankind should be committed with all impunity without any suffering on the delinquents side Secondly that there should be no reward allotted for vertue piety nor no fruite thereof That in this life oftentimes there is no reuenge or compensation taken for wrongs is manifest for we see daily many most wicked and impious men and oppressours of the innocent to flourish greatly in this life and to abound with all kinds of temporall goods as riches honours and delights but the iust and vertuous to be still entangled with diuers calamities and to passe their whole time in affliction as if Prosperity should be the reward of Impiety and calamity of iustice and piety Therefore of there be no retribution of these matters after this life then in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or perturbation of order it is most euident to wit that all heynous offences and crimes should be vnpunished vertue vnrewarded Iustice troden vnder foote through contempt and iniquity erected For wrongs and flagitious sinnes are supposed to continue and to pollute this Common wealth of the whole Vniuerse till they be reuenged and become expiated by due punishments as is euident from the common iudgment of all men It also further might be inferred that if there be no chastisement of vice nor remuneration for vertue there were no diuine power or prouidence vndertaking the care of mens affaires but that all things are carryed with temerity rashnes that euery mās will power becomes a law to himselfe for nothing can be more aduerse repugnāt to the nature of Prouidence then this kind of licence impunity For as we may truly say that that Kingdome or State if any such were eyther wanted a gouernour or that the gouernour were iniust a defender of wicked men if therein there were decreed no reuenge for notorious publicke transgressours Euen so if in this Kingdome as it were of all mankind all actions should proceed freely without any expectation either of rewards or feare of punishments we might well collect that there were no prouidence nor any supreme moderatour by whome humane affaires are gouerned or if there were any yet that he is vniust This is confirmed in that the first office of a gouernour is that Lawes may be obserued with due distribution of rewards and punishments according to mens different cōportment and carriage for thus all actions are brought to the ballance of iustice then the which nothing is more desired in this world Now where this is wanting it is certaine that prouidence and true gouerment is also wanting The same point is also further made euident because it chiefly belongeth to Prouidence to giue to euery one what is his owne this being the inuiolable law of iustice which in gouerment true administration of things is most religiously to be obserued whereupon Diuine Prouidence obserueth this most precisely in all things created according to their different capacities giuing to euery one what is agreable to their nature and

condition Now if this order be kept in the lowest and meanest creatures then with much more reason ought it to be obserued in the worthyest thing of the world which is mans Soule which only is capable of Iustice and iniury right and due Certainly it is absurd that all things agreable to their natures should exactly be measured and giuen by the Prouidence of God to myce gnats wormes and the like who are not capable of iustice or wrong yet those things should not be giuen to the soule of man which are due and best sort to it and which the soule it selfe through her good or bad actions deserueth We cannot but thinke that the care of diuine Prodence is about small matters very preposterous if it be wanting in the greatest things For from this then would fall out not much vnlike as if a Prince should carefully prouide of al things necessary for horses mules and dogs and yet should absolutely neglect his owne family without setting downe any recompensations to his most trusty seruants or chastisement to malefactours Thē the which proceeding what can be imagined more exorbitant or lesse agreable with reason For by how much any thing is more worthy and more neere to God by so much it requyreth a greater care of Prouidence that it may attend its end A reasonable nature is the sole family and household of God since this nature only acknowledgeth God and prosecuteth him with honour and reuerence This also alone contemneth and offendeth him and therfore it alone deserueth reward and punishment Now from these premises it is manifestly conuinced that there is no diuine power nor any Prouidence if the soule be extinguished with the body for if it be extinguished then is there no retribution nor any iustice but iniuryes and wrongs remayne vnsatisfyed vertue becomes dishonoured and finally there is found in the worthyest creature of the world the greatest perturbation and inuersion of order that can be imagined All which inferences being granted do euidently prooue the world to be destitute of a Rectour or Gouernour And hence it is that this consideration chiefly hath in al ages perplexed the minds of men and hath impelled them to deny diuine prouidence and to satisfy their owne affections desires And the greatest motiue to withdraw men from this false opinion was to consider good or euill was prepared for man after this life as the Prophet most excellently explicateth in the 72. Psalme Only the mature ponderation of this appeaseth the mynd and causeth it to tread a vertuous resolued course in all aduersities But it may be heere answered that the soules of the wicked are sufficiently punished for all their wrongs iniustice other their transgressions in that they are extinct with the death of their bodyes but against this I say that this perishing and death of the soule if any such were is ordained not as a punishment but as a condition of nature which no lesse the vertuous and iust do vndergoe then the wicked Like as in a Commonwealth if there were no other other punishments to be inflicted vpon delinquents then the naturall death of body which according to the course of measure is to fall to euery one it might be truly said that no paine or chastisement at all were absolutly set downe for malefactours but that all liberty and impunity preuailed therein for punishment ought to be inflicted for the fault as a iust recompensation of the same So as if there be no fault then is there not any place for punishment Now this supposed extinction of the soule aboue vnderstood is not inflicted for any fault seing the vertuous are no lesse subiect to it then the wicked THE XIX REASON CHAP. XX. THE world was created by God to the end that the perfection of his Diuinity might shine and appeare in it as in his most beautifull and admirable worke for this manifestation is the last end of God or of the first agēt in the framing of the world For nothing is more worthy then God who worketh for his owne sake and intendeth lastly his owne good which good is not intrinsecall to God for this kind of good is euer present vnto him neither can it be increased or diminished but only extrinsecall which is nothing els then an open declaration of his perfections in his Creatures and by his creatures in the which his extrinsecall glory consisteth And in this sense the Philosophers are accustomed to say Idem est primus agens vltimus finis One the same thing is the first agent and the last end The reason hereof being because the first agent doth not necessarily intend in the last place his owne good Which point is warranted out of the holy Scripture Omnia propter semetipsum operatus c. The Lord made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill God worketh all things not only by a positiue action in doing but also by a negatiue action in suffering and permitting for the word to worke is heere taken in a large signification God worketh propter semetipsum that is for his owne glory that thereby the perfections of his excellency may be manifested and knowne Impium quoque yea euen the wicked c. because he suffereth a man to be wicked and being wicked he ordaineth him to damnation and eternall punishment all this which God doth tendeth to his glory But if the soule be mortall the diuine perfections in God are so farre off from shining in the fabricke disposition of the world as that they may rather seeme to be obscured for it is no signe of the power of the Creatour but rather of his weaknes that he could not make the Soule of man which is the Lord of things immortall seeing that condition is best sorting to the dignity of the soule It is not a point of wisdome to make such things eternall as are seruiceable and as it were slaues to man as the world which is his house and the like and yet to shut or confyne the Lord of all within a narrow conpasse of tyme and that being once ended himselfe for euer to be extinguished and to resolue to nothing It is not the office of goodnesse to bring all other things to that perfection which is agreable to ech of thē and yet so to neglect the Soule of man as that he can neuer attaine vnto the hundreth part of that good of which it is capable It is no Prouidence to leaue the soule to its own appetites and desires without setting of any rewards which may allure it to vertue or punishments which may deterre it from vice to leaue sinne vnpunished and iustice violated to permit in the world so great a disorder and confusion the impious ruling and tyrannizing and the iust and vertuous remaining oppressed and this without any future hope of bettering of things or of reducing them in any more conuenient order What should I